Rebirth
by Hyperminimalism
Summary: What would you do if the peace and quiet you struggled so hard to grab a hold of was violently snatched away in a brutal replay of the past? Would you fight back? What would you discover along the way? CloudZack, AU, HetYaoi, Language, Violence
1. Chapter 1

**5 Long Years**

Located deep within the bowels of the newly constructed building, men and women in scrubs and white lab coats stood in their designated positions. One on either side of the hospital bed, another, their superior, lingered near the foot; his arms crossed over his chest, observing. He stood six feet tall, sporting dark brown hair with shades of salt and pepper growing modestly from his temples, and peered through sharp green eyes. He was schooled in the finest medicines and sciences that such a company could provide – very well educated and respected; this particular man had brought another back to life.

Through his protective mask, the doctor spoke.

"Go ahead."

A nurse to the patient's right stood near the machine that had been keeping him alive. As of now, his body had been declared stable enough to do achieve that on its own. She flipped the switch in the off position and watched, waited as the light ceased to glow. The machine settled moments later from a dull hum to silence. It was simply a matter of time before they knew for sure whether or not their efforts proved successful.

"Vitals are good," the same nurse pointed out. She glanced over her shoulder and waited for a reply from the man in charge.

"Alright," he said after a moment, arms at his sides now, "Let's bring him out."

Success – after such a long time, enduring so much adversity, trying and failing – No more_. No more_.

"Congratulations," the doctor smiled. His eyes narrowed, creasing; the only visible expression behind the mask. "This one is a keeper." To his right, an associate of his higher up stood patiently out of the way. The doctor said: "Contact the president. He'll want to know."

- -

Out of the midst of the darkness, from the depths of a pleasant dream; a telephone chimed noisily and incessantly in the dark-haired man's ear. Though half asleep, he batted aimlessly around the nightstand in search of the racket, somehow managing to answer without knocking it over. "Yes?" Reeve grumbled, not trying to sound the least bit awake.

"Mr. Reiben has requested for your presence, Mr. Tuesti. He says he would like to meet you at headquarters right away," the other voice spoke. It was probably a secretary working after hours.

"Can't it wait?" the dark haired man griped. He was finding it hard to stay awake having caught a glimpse at the time - 3:14 AM.

"N-no, sir. He says it's urgent."

_Of course. It's always urgent…_

After a brief moment of silence passed, and most likely apprehension on the other end of the line, Reeve let out a heavy sigh and sat upright against the headboard. "Alright." With an index finger and a thumb, he rubbed his weary eyes. "Tell him I'll be there as soon as I can."

- -

The new headquarters had been constructed just two years prior. It was a much-needed asset to the company, seeing as how there was practically nothing of use left after the Meteor crisis. But it also served as a symbol of good faith and hope; a new beginning in desperate times of need. Unfortunately, not everyone was entirely happy with its restoration, or at least that is what Reeve would discover the moment he arrived.

They rendezvoused in the lobby on the first floor instead of his office, which was located somewhere in the middle, and Reiben led them to a more private area where they could speak without being interrupted.

"What is so important that I had to be awakened at 3:00 AM?" the still rather drowsy, and noticeably irritated, Reeve asked.

Reiben was just as tall as Reeve but with shorter, blonder hair combed back neatly; a few years younger and somewhat lankier. He shut the door behind them and turned to face his partner; the look on his face was enough to tell the dark-haired man that this was not a good meeting.

It took Reiben a moment to begin, as he searched for the right words. "There've been talks lately, as you're already aware of, about Rufus' role here at ShinRa, and where he fits among the restoration of this company. And it just so happens to be that the board is…leaning in favor of dismissing him from his current position."

Reeve frowned in reply, "_What_!?"

"They're afraid of what the citizens might do. All anyone has to go on is what came of his father's reign, and the struggle he's been dealing with to restore his good name since. No one trusts Rufus anymore. They want him out before there's anymore of a chance to screw things up. If the people turn on the company then the board will go down with him. It was unanimous – there's no doubt that they want him gone."

For a moment, all Reeve could do was stand there, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, desperately trying to process the information he'd just been given. It was a shock, to say the least, and a blessing rolled into one. It seemed impossible in the beginning, to oust the owner of his own company. But with the help of, basically, the entire world, it seemed as though the job was handling itself.

"So," the dark-haired man began slowly; reiterating for his own sake. "Let's say, whenever they meet again to take the vote, Rufus is ousted and the company no longer has a president. Who exactly do they have in mind to take his place?"

"Well…" The concern on Reiben's face soon turned to a smirk. There had been other news, of course. "After reviewing a significant number of qualified candidates, they've narrowed it down to only a handful of people – you, being among the few."

"_Me?_ I–"

Before he had a chance to finish, Sao interjected. "Isn't that _great_!? All your hard work has finally paid off! They're really considering you!"

Reeve stumbled to an open chair and plopped himself down as it felt like his knees would give out. He was absolutely stunned, speechless, yet thrilled to have been awakened to hear the good news. Their eyes met; a sparkle of excitement glimmered brightly, promising good news to come. There was nothing more to say.

It was simply a matter of time.

- -

_**One Year Later**_

Cold. Everything was cold. He'd woken up so fast this time that it was hard to tell whether or not he was still asleep. But after a few moments passed, the jaded blond found his breath again and sat trying to find a steady rhythm. He struggled to pull his fingers through the lingering hair gel that kept his hair upright and yawned as quietly as he could. The one thing he absolutely did not want was to wake the brunette sleeping peacefully beside him. Though the General found it hard to keep his composure after such nightmares, he managed to calm down enough to silently slip out of bed.

On the balcony now in the back of the bar – having been rebuilt two years after the destruction of Midgar – Cloud leaned against the railing and closed his eyes as the wind blew softly against his clammy skin. He felt as if he was burning up. A thin film of sweat covered his entire body while his heart continued to slow to its regular pace. Everything else around him was tranquil it seemed. The only noises he could make out were a car or two passing by out front. At three in the morning, the city was pretty quiet.

There were still goose bumps along his arms and a tingling in his fingers. Somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that the nightmare had left. A long lost ache in his heart suddenly pulsed and stirred; it came back to life, though bleary and unfocussed. For some reason, he thought of Zack…

Without warning, from behind, the General felt a pair of slender hands wrap around his waist. When she pressed her body against his back, he realized it was Tifa; no doubt having roused her as well. "Again?" she murmured, face pressed against his skin.

"…Sorry to wake you," Cloud replied. He stood upright and turned around to take her into his arms.

"It's okay." Tifa closed her eyes and reveled in the warmth of the General's arms. They'd been together for three years now, after some rough patches and a lot of thinking on Cloud's part. There were even talks of marriage, but the notion was still under heavy discussion. He usually dodged the issue when it popped up, or fell into a sullen silence. She had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with Aeris… "Care to talk?" she asked.

"Just the usual," he murmured, cheek pressed against the top of her head.

"Are you sure? They seem to be getting worse lately…"

Cloud was silent for a moment. He didn't know exactly what to say. It was true; they had been getting worse, but why? That was a question he couldn't quite answer just yet. "I'll be fine."

"Well, maybe you should try and get some sleep. You _are_ leaving in a few hours…"

Back to work yet again, away from the bar, from Marlene, Denzel and Tifa.

"…Yeah," the blond agreed.

- -

Located fifteen minutes by land north east outside of the city of Edge, ShinRa's military headquarters sat in a vast panorama of sand and sky. The building was quite large considering how many purposes it fulfilled. One of them was to house the office of General Strife.

He made his way into the front of the building, and through the lobby at a quick pace. Inside, Cloud was greeted warmly by a young woman sitting at the front desk, as well as given a note which came just minutes prior to his arrival. As he began to walk away, he thanked the secretary with a nod and headed towards his office, but he wouldn't get too far.

From around the corner, a young man about the age of the blond, though brunet, nearly collided with him. "Good to see you back, General!" he beamed and saluted. Cloud rolled his eyes.

"Don't call me that."

"Right," Hughes smirked. "I forgot. You're _much_ too humble to accept the title you've earned." The slightly taller man threw an arm around Cloud's shoulder and began to walk them towards the way he was headed. Not a lot of people were close enough to the General that they would even dare so much as to touch him. But Hughes had the advantage of becoming close to his higher up during the last few years. It also helped quite a bit that he reminded him so much of Zack... "So, how are things on your first day back?"

Wiggling from Hughes' embrace Cloud replied with, "I just got here. What about you?"

"Very well, thanks for asking. The wife and kids were sad to see me go, as always. But I don't anticipate anything unexpected to pop up this time."

It wasn't long before they reached the General's office where Cloud mindlessly unlocked the door and strode in. Hughes followed hot on his trail but remained lingering near the entrance as he had work of his own to attend to. "If you behave yourself, maybe I'll let you go home early," the blond joked. This particular soldier, though high in rank, was still his subordinate.

"I do appreciate your bigheartedness, General, but I'm afraid I can't stay." He then turned but stopped in the doorway, adding one last thing before taking off. "Oh, and you've got a bit of work to do yourself. Catch'ya later!"

Cloud watched indignantly as the door slammed shut in his wake and eventually let out a heavy sigh. Unsurprisingly, stacked neatly on the top of his desk, were two piles of folders just waiting to be completed.

- -

Three hours of nothing but skimming and signatures, and the General thought his hand would nearly fall off. Having had enough for the time being, Cloud tossed the pen on top of the desk and leaned back into his chair. It felt good to take a break, but the fact that he wasn't done just yet still managed to ruin his relaxation.

Never before did the ex-SOLDIER think that he would end up sitting behind a desk, sifting through papers. Although that was merely one aspect of the job, it did take up quite a bit of time. Cloud didn't mind it much though, scribbling his name on a dotted line, or even spending _any_ time in an office, but the overall notion of obtaining such a high status – _General _– a rank he gazed upon with admiration and awe, seemed more important than this.

Hankering to throw his legs up on the desk, the spiky blond was about ready to when a set of knocks sounded at the door. He groaned out of annoyance and sat up straight instead. "Come in…"

When the door opened, a sergeant by the name of Dax appeared and raised his hand in a salute. "You have a visitor, sir."

_Who could it be?_ Cloud thought as he rose from the chair. "Send him in."

Dax nodded, stepped back into the hall and authorized the company permission to enter. Whoever it was, was better than those files. Any distractions Cloud could get, he would take. Fortunately for him, it was someone he knew and not just another order of business. As Cid strolled in through the doorway, he looked rather upset, but it was the soldier's job to be firm with visitors. Not just anyone could get inside the General's office without reason––even close, personal friends.

"You really gotta do somethin' about this," Cid griped and stepped in further as Dax shut the door.

"Cid," Cloud said with a smile.

The pilot smiled as well. "Long time no see, eh?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Well I had a delivery and decided to drop by. They're unloading right now, s'matter of fact."

Cloud nodded and extended his hand towards the couch to offer his company a seat. Cid was already on his way, as he made himself comfortable on the black leather couch that rested in between two bookshelves. In front of the couch sat a mahogany coffee table, as well as a desk and other random pieces of furniture scattered about the room. In fact, the pilot noticed that Cloud's office was rather luxurious––_much_ nicer than anything he'd ever had the pleasure of seeing, or sitting on.

"This place," Cid began, "is really nice. They're treating you pretty good here, huh?"

Having not become accustom to it himself just yet either, Cloud shrugged and sat in the seat adjacent to the pilot. "It's alright, but I have to be honest. I miss lounging around the bar."

With a smirk, Cid leaned forward to say, "I'll tell you what you're missin–" but he barely finished his sentence before the spiky blond stopped him in his tracks. Cloud knew very well what Cid had in mind, and of course he missed Tifa, but he was used to being alone.

"Anyway, I don't think it's going to be very busy this time around. Maybe I can head home within a couple of weeks."

"Looks like you're already bein' put to work," Cid gestured towards the pile of folders.

"Yeah," Cloud sighed, "first hour back and they've got me signing papers."

In response, a hearty laugh escaped the pilot. "First hour back and it looks like you could use a drink." The General merely rolled his eyes in agreement, and stood as the pilot began to rise from the couch. "Anyway, I should get going before they screw somethin' up. But I'm gonna be in town for the next day or two. We should meet up again if you've got the time. Get a drink or somethin'?"

"Sure."

"Alright, don't work yourself too hard," Cid replied and showed himself out. For now, it was back to work.

- -

// …"_These files…there are so many_…_My life's work…_his _work…They've been answered. My prayers have been answered!"…_//

From behind, a set of gentle raps sounded against the door. "Professor Holt?" a voice called out. The older man, in his fifties, sat behind a desk. He was a tall, built thin with sharp, distinct features. He had a warm semblance to his face. Those eyes were very welcoming and kind. Nicholas was his name. Professor Nicholas Holt – one of ShinRa's finest scientists.

"Yes, come in," Holt answered, still seated in his chair. He rushed to finish writing something and then joined his lab assistant at the counter.

"I have the files you requested."  
Joshua, who preferred to be addressed by his first name, handed the folders to Professor Holt. "I completely forgot about these," the professor smiled.

"There are a few more left in the military's database, but I'm having trouble getting them," Joshua explained.

"No, no it's alright," Holt said and waved a dismissive hand. "You've done enough. I'll try and get the rest myself. But you are still working on the samples, correct?"

"Oh yes! I've managed to turn the Mako you've given me to a concentrated form."

"Wonderful! Then your job will be much easier," the professor said with a smile. He then returned to his desk to sit down, looking rather disheartened at the paperwork stacked randomly around and on his desk. "I don't suppose, Joshua, that you would mind staying a bit late to help finish up some of these reports?"

"Of course not, sir. It'd be a pleasure."

"Good."

_I can get back to reading his work, then._

- -

_Finished._

Everything was done. At least for now, Cloud could relax – or so he thought. Work never failed to fall into his lap; it seemed, after having just completed yet another task. But the blond was pulled out of his thoughts, when someone knocked frantically on the door just a few moments later. "Yes, come in," Cloud sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"General, sir?"

When the door swung open, the sergeant took a step back, seeing how irritated he looked. "Yes, what is it?"

"Uhh…Lieutenant General Hughes needs to see you in his office right away. He says it's important."

In the pit of his stomach, the blond knew something was off. He had no other choice but to see what it may be.

- -

When the door opened and Cloud stepped in, he spotted Hughes sitting behind the desk with a small radio. "I got a report from the ruins of Midgar. There's been a monster sighting."

The General frowned and stepped forward. "What do you mean?"

"Apparently a man passing by the Midgar ruins was chased down and nearly killed by a pack of stray monsters. He said it's the first time that's ever happened to him out of the two years he's been doing it."

Cloud took a seat. "Did he say what type?"

"No, but I've sent a team of men to check it out. They should be setting up their equipment right now. I'm just waiting for some word on the situation."

A brief moment of silence passed before either of them said anything. But before they could, the radio crackled to life.

"…Lieutenant General, sir…?"

"Go ahead, soldier."

"We've set up a station located in the north east section of the city. So far, we've only spotted a handful of them."

"What are they doing?"

"…Well, it appears as if they're…looking for something."

Hughes frowned at Cloud in response to the soldier's reply. "Looking for something?" he echoed.

"Yes, sir."

"How many have you counted?"

"About seven as of now."

"Hmm," the Lieutenant General grumbled and glanced down at his desk. There was not much communication for the next few minutes. The only thing either of them could do was wait anxiously at the edge of their seats for a reply. Since, from the office, their options were limited.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"The monsters, there are more of them now."

"More?"

"Yes and they've all began to shift for ShinRa HQ. It appears as if they're…trying to get inside."

Hughes glared skeptically at Cloud and asked, "What could they be looking for?"

"They can't get in there," the General said. "It's impossible."

The sound of static echoed from the radio, but the signal cleared once the soldier continued. "They're burrowing through the wreckage."

"Alright then. Keep an eye out on their behavior and report back to me when you've got more information."

"Understood, sir."

When the Lieutenant General turned his attention back to Cloud, the blond was already standing from his chair and heading towards the door. "Where are you going?" Hughes asked.

"To check it out myself."

"Wait, what? Why? I sent them out there already so you wouldn't have to!"

But Cloud was already in the hall, too far to stop.

- - - - -

(**Author's Note:** AU, AC and DoC not taken into account. Story begins 5 years after FFVII game. Any questions, comments or suggestions are always welcome.

You know the drill.)


	2. Chapter 2

- -

**Presage**

**- - **

_"Knock, knock."_

_Reeve glanced up from the paperwork at his visitor, Reiben, just the man he wanted to see, who carried a manila folder in his hand. The blond made his way to one of the two empty seats, sitting in front of Reeve who seemed to be very preoccupied. "What is it?"_

_"I came to see how you're doing."_

_"Fine," the dark-haired man replied with a bit of hesitation. "I suppose."_

_"You don't sound fine. You've been in here all night. Shouldn't you go home, get some rest?"_

_About ready to counteract the suggestion, Reeve felt an overwhelming sense of curiosity that incessantly scratched and clawed at his mind, ultimately triumphing over anything else. "I found something," he began, reaching for something across the table. "It's a medical folder, I believe, in regards to a project that the science department was conducting." When the president met Reiben's gaze he saw that, in those eyes, the blond already knew about it. "…Is there something I should know?"_

_Nothing but silence plagued the room; an uneasiness that both men felt._

_"I was going to tell you," Reiben began. He knew at that point there would be no avoiding an explanation, and by the looks of it, Reeve was getting very upset. "But I wanted to wait until you were completely settled."_

_"What is this I read about _reanimation_?" The dark-haired man opened the folder and skimmed through the pages, obviously angry with the fact that he had been deceived even in his new position, and by his most trusted ally. "Bringing a man back to life? And not just any man, but a man that shouldn't have died in the first place? What the hell is going on here, Reiben" He shook the folder, trying desperately to make a point. "What is all this?" _

_Sighing, the blond stood from his chair to pace the room. "Then I suppose you're well informed about him."_

_"_Zack_," Reeve insisted._

_"Zack," Sao repeated, and continued, "Is the project they've been working on." The president crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair, interested in what Reiben had to say. "When General Strife was no longer in the vicinity, they retrieved Zack's body in hopes of keeping the incident under wraps. Then once the body was in our possession, they turned it over to the science and research department. It wasn't until he arrived that they discovered he was still alive – somehow. Thus it was declared he become the guinea pig, however disrespectful that may sound, to test out a new theory that Professor Holt was exploring. And…just a few weeks ago they managed a complete success."_

_"So you were going to tell me about this, eventually? How thoughtful."_

_"You don't understand…"_

_"No, I do understand. Even though the company's highest position was handed over to me, the man who oversees _everything_, I am still being kept in the dark!" Reeve shook his head and shot up from the chair. "It's not just that, but the fact that I'm going to have to tell Cloud about this."_

_"You know that is not a good idea at the moment. There are still tests being done, and General Strife has enough on his plate right now. If you tell him there's no saying what could happen. We can't let this get out until Professor Holt is one hundred and ten percent sure that Zack is healthy and capable of returning back to a normal life."_

_Reeve said nothing. It was true, in spite of the fact that he felt betrayed; the man had a point. Not a word would be spoken of this until the right time._

_"Fine," the president murmured, deliberately avoiding eye contact with the blond. He made his way towards the door, but Reiben had more to say._

_"Where are you going?"_

_In the doorway with no intentions of stopping, Reeve replied with, "Home."_

**- - **

Nightmares seemed to be a popular occurrence amid the now disbanded group of AVALANCHE members. It came as a shock, however, when Vincent jolted violently in his sleep, awakened by something deep within his the depths of is unconscious. The gunner jerked so hard that it disturbed the pilot sleeping peacefully next to him. Cid grumbled irritably as he propped himself on an elbow, peering out of one weary eye. To his left, Vincent sat upright in a rigid position; his breath serrated as if he'd just seen a ghost.

"…Vince?" There was no answer – only silence. He could barely even see a few feet in front of him in the dark bowels of the captain's quarters. For they had not yet left for Rocket Town, having been obligated to stay once their delivery was finished. He called out the name again in hopes of getting a reply this time. Luckily, the dark haired man snapped out of his daze and glared suspiciously, though not intentionally, at the pilot.

"Something is wrong," Vincent replied in an eerie tone. Cid found himself confused by the comment. The blond had no idea where this had come from or what he could be referring to in the first place.

"What do you mean?" He sat up against the headboard, staring curiously at his lover, waiting for an explanation.

The gunman shook his head and glowered somewhere beyond the walls of the room. "I don't know. It feels as if…" He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Something is off."

Not long after Vincent managed to elaborate on the comment did Cid start to feel on edge. For some odd reason, the ex-Turk had always possessed a keen sense of the environment around him. And when trouble lurked around the corner, he was usually right on the money.

"Was it a nightmare?" Cid offered in hopes that maybe it would spark something in the gunner's mind.

Vincent shook his head, "No. More like…a warning."

_Warning_, the pilot thought. _What the fuck does that mean?_

- -

"He's in here," the nurse said. She had led him to the room Zack was staying in for the time being.

After a long and arduous discussion, Reiben somehow managed to talk some sense into the president. _"Just go meet the guy,"_ Sao suggested. Reeve had already heard so much about him from Cloud, that he figured it might be interesting to make the SOLDIER's acquaintance. Then again, the president found it hard to shake the feeling of guilt and apprehension. He knew in the back of his mind there would come a time when the truth needed to be exposed. And no matter how much he did not want to be the one to tell the General, he knew he would have to.

Outside the room, Reeve nodded in thanks to the nurse and rapped gently against the door before entering. He waited patiently for a reply, which came a few moments later. The president pushed his way in and stepped through the doorway. When his eyes fell on this man who seemed to be nothing more than a legend, Reeve immediately recalled skimming through a few case reports provided by the Turks. He had read a summary of what happened in Nibelheim, as well as what took place in Hojo's lab, but refused to let his mind wander to such horrible thoughts.

The spiky dark-haired man was smiling when Reeve snapped out of his daze and realized where he was. Zack was probably wondering just exactly who the man might be, and why he was there. So the president took a step forward, trying his best not to sound anything other than ecstatic to be there.

"Pardon the intrusion," Reeve began and extended a hand which Zack firmly grasped in return. The shake was brief but friendly, at least on the SOLDIER's part. "My name is Reeve Tuesti. I came by to see how you're doing."

"Well, Mr. Tuesti. I'm doing just fine, but the doctor's tell me I gotta stay down here for a while. Some sort of quarantine arrangement," Zack explained with a smirk.

"…I see. Then I suppose you're probably wondering just exactly who I am."

"They didn't tell me much."

"My apologies," the president sighed. He leaned against the foot of the bed, shoving his hands in his pockets, and continued. "Anyway, there are a lot of things that happened while you've been gone; a lot of important events…"

"I'm sorry, but…who did you say you were?" By the rash sound in his voice, it seemed that the SOLDIER was becoming a bit impatient with the way Reeve was handling the situation. The best thing to do was get down to the point.

"I am the president of ShinRa, Zack. After you died, Mr. ShinRa was murdered and his son took over the company. There was a lot of chaos under Rufus' reign subsequent to the death of his father, but he was forced to step down in the end, which is where I came in."

"…And you relate to me how?"

"Well, I happen to be good friends with someone you know – Cloud Strife." As the name rolled off of his tongue, Zack simply stood there, silent with attentive eyes. "But this is…turning out to be a bit harder than I thought." Before Reeve could go on, Zack interrupted with a comment of his own.

"If I may say so myself, you _do _seem kinda nervous."

"I have my reasons. I think you'll understand them when I explain."

"Well if it's any consolation, I only care to know about one thing." _Perhaps this would make things much easier on the both of us_? "Is Cloud alright?"

As easy as pie, it seemed. Reeve could answer that without thinking. _Yes, is what you want to say_, he told himself, but for some odd reason, the answer did not seem sufficient. So much had taken place between the time Zack had been shot down and that present day that a simple "yes" was not going to enlighten the situation––at least not for the president. But perhaps it would make things easier for the poor young man. "Yes," Reeve nodded.

Though the expression Zack made was more sorrowful than filled with relief, the spiky dark-haired man smiled nonetheless. He was honestly happy to hear the good news.

"_…Sephiroth was killed during the incident at Nibelheim_, _but he returned somehow and created a lot more problems than we expected. He was defeated a second time, however, with the help of Cloud and each member who'd joined team AVALANCHE…"_

_"…AVALANCHE…I remember that name…"_

_"…As you know, I've taken over ShinRa. We've also rebuilt the military and Cloud has accepted the position of General…"_

_"…Spike? General? …I can't believe it…"_

- -

An engine revved loudly in the distance; the only other audible sound that echoed over the sweeping vista. It wasn't much longer when the General's bike, Fenrir, appeared. He'd had it for quite some time, having placed the old bike into storage, which wasn't exactly of much used to him anymore. Fenrir, on the other hand, was much more proficient and dependent. It served as his main mode of transportation constantly. He would even disregard the more swanky provided transportation that came with the high ranks of being General. Then again, no one seemed to mind much.

Once Cloud pulled up to the makeshift station, the Captain of the squad immediately rushed to him, hand raised in a salute. "General, sir! I was unaware that you'd be accompanying the squadron."

"At ease," Cloud replied and stepped off of the bike. From where they were set up, everything seemed rather peaceful. But the blond knew that he couldn't be so sure of that. Every ounce of his consciousness remained on guard. "I just wanted to have a look for myself."

"Yes, sir." The captain escorted his superior towards a pair of binoculars. "Dead ahead is a pack of them," he began, watching Cloud as he surveyed the situation. "As you can see, they've been digging in the rubble of ShinRa HQ––and for quite some time."

"How long would you say?"

"About an hour, sir."

The spiky blond mumbled unintelligibly to himself and then set the binoculars down. It was unusual for monsters to come roaming through the wreckage, but the fact that their origin and species were unknown was what worried Cloud the most. "Captain, can you get me access to the records that were taken when surveying the damage of the building after it collapsed?" the General asked.

"I will do my best to get them, sir."

As the young man began shouting orders to his subordinates, Cloud crouched behind a wall of sandbags so as not to be spotted. He picked the binoculars up again and glared at the monsters pensively, running through every possible explanation that he could come up with as to why they would be there in the first place. An attack out of the blue was rather suspicious, but it seemed like lately things were taking a turn down shady lane. These nightmares, and now this…

Perhaps they meant more to him than he first thought? They did come unexpectedly; a few months after accepting the position of ShinRa's army General – brutal, vivid and chilling. Cloud always woke up in a cold sweat. Sometimes he couldn't even differentiate from lying in bed with Tifa; to lying on the dirt and watching the bullets fly all around him. He could till feel the dirt specks shoot up from the ground as they hit his face. The sound of Zack's voice, though distant and muddled, was still as clear as day.

//…_Cloud! Run!…//_

Even when he wasn't dreaming, it sent chills down his spine. Waves of nausea crashed over his body, occasionally forcing up a bit of bile that always left his mouth sour. And it seemed like they would never end. He was trapped in a continuous nightmare, no matter how long ago the actual event had taken place. Sometimes Cloud wondered whether or not it would get any better, but duty called once more and momentarily tore him from his seemingly endless remorse.

It seemed to strike even while he was wide awake; merciless despite where the General may be.

…_Back at the ruins…the ruins…General…_

"Shit!"

The word rang loudly, boomed hard against the buildings around them. Luckily for the soldier being attacked, it effectively knocked Cloud out of his stupor. Apparently, one of the monsters had located their base and had jumped from a heap of rubble onto a makeshift table where their equipment sat. The creature, confused at first from the fall, picked himself up without further hesitation and locked eyes with the General. Despite the menacing glare, Cloud stood his ground; sword in hand as everyone else simply backed away.

They both took their time, waiting for one or the other to attack. _He seems cautious, _Cloud thought. The spiky blond stepped deftly behind one foot in a trained manner and watched for any sudden movements. He had never seen this type of monster before, which made it difficult to know ahead of time what to expect. But be that as it may, Cloud knew he couldn't worry about the lack of details.

The attack came quick. Together, they collided into a cloud of dust. Several piercing shrieks echoed about the immediate area that signaled for the remaining creatures to assist their fallen comrade. This one was down for the count until the others arrived.

"Get the hell out of here!" Cloud shouted over his shoulder. He slammed the tip of his blade into the ground, and ribbons of blood surged down the cool steel on the sand.

"General, sir, what about you?"

Before Cloud replied, he shot one last glance at the monsters coming his way and then answered the question. "I said get out of here! That's an _order_!"

The captain nodded furiously, never questioning the General's judgment. It took them merely seconds to rally the troops back into the vehicles, and hurry back to headquarters without a second glance.

Cloud, on the other hand, had conjured up a rather hasty plan. He was already on his bike trying to catch the attention of the monsters that lurked through the rubble. Once they caught sight just a few moments later, they charged at him with sheer, animalistic rage; even nearly catching up to the dangerously high speeds Fenrir so easily topped. But the spiky blond was careful in his actions, though eventually finding himself in the middle of nowhere on the eastern continent––perhaps somewhere near the sea. It would take quite a bit of time to get back to H.Q.

- -

"He _what_!?" The Lieutenant General slammed his fists down on the desk and shot up from his chair as he spat at the Captain standing in front of him. The troops had made it back safely, but without their superior. "I cannot fucking believe this," Hughes growled to himself. He paced the length of the windows that lined the walls behind his desk, leaving the unfortunate young Captain in his wake.

From the report, Cloud had been gone for quite some time––around two hours according to the PIC. And after explaining every single detail, as well as emphasizing to the Lieutenant General that Cloud had specifically ordered them to get out of there, the Captain waited tensely for Hughes' next reaction.

"Alright," the brunet sighed. He'd finally began to calm down somewhat. The Lieutenant General leaned against the desk and was about to dismiss his subordinate, but the office door swung open and a very dirty, very sweaty Cloud Strife marched in. "Where the hell have you been!?" Hughes barked.

"I was taking care of the situation," Cloud replied in a huff. He could tell that the brunet was livid, but could never fully understand why.

"You nearly got yourself killed, that's what! Why do you always go against the rules like this? It's dangerous!"

"I was looking out for the safety of my men, Lieutenant General. And if I recall correctly, I'm allowed to make those kinds of decisions."

"Just because you're everyone's superior doesn't mean you can go out on a whim and take on such a dicey situation like that _by yourself_! Yeah, I get that you just wanted to make sure no one else got hurt, but what would've happened if _you_ were the unfortunate one?"

Even if Hughes had a point, Cloud did not want to discuss the situation any further with the Captain still standing in the room. He dismissed the terrified young man before saying anything more and waited until the door was closed to answer back. "Look," the spiky blond sighed, "this is how I do things, and you know that. I'm the one calling the shots around here, so don't bother worrying about me. I can take care of myself."

There was nothing more that could have been said by either one of them. Cloud had made his point and was in no mood to repeat himself despite what Hughes thought. The General spun on his heels and marched out of the door, fully intent on taking a shower. He barely made it halfway to his own quarters, though, when he was abruptly stopped at the elevators.

A bit angry, and perhaps thinking it was Hughes, Cloud turned to face his company and stared in surprised to seem them. Cid had come back and brought Vincent with him. "What are you guys doing here?" the General wondered aloud. He hadn't seen the gunman for ages.

"We know about what happened––at the Midgar ruins," Vincent answered.

Cloud knit his brow. "What? How?"

"It's all over the news in Edge. Everyone's flipping their lids," Cid elaborated.

A curse escaped the blond's lips. He had not intended on the word to get out so soon, but it was out of his hands now.

"About that," Vincent continued, "there is something else." Cloud just stood there and watched with curious eyes, but the gunman did not speak right away. He waited until a young soldier passed by to carry on their conversation. "Lately, things have become rather peculiar. Last night I experienced something odd..."

"I thought it was a nightmare," Cid added, but fell silent once he realized he'd released too much information.

"It wasn't?" the General wondered, completely missing the pilot's slip.

"No. I would describe it as forewarning."

_Forewarning,_ Cloud frowned, "I don't understand."

"Neither do I."

Nightmares. All he could think of were the nightmares. And at the same time, it was all making some sort of strange sense. Perhaps the General wasn't losing his mind after all; though it sure as hell felt like it every now and then. But could he let them in? Cloud hadn't even gone into detail with Tifa about the terrifying dreams that woke him each night.

"General, sir!"

Out of nowhere, from behind, a young soldier had appeared. He stood stiffly with his hand in a salute. _Someone must have some important information to relay, _Cloud thought. It was the only explanation as to why he'd been hunted down like this.

"President Tuesti requests your presence in Edge, sir," the soldier explained.

Surprised at this, Cloud shot a glance at Cid and Vincent. He had never been summoned to the president's office before, but had some sort of idea as to what it was in regards to.

- -

Neither the pilot nor the gunner had visited the ShinRa building before then. They had been so wrapped up in their own lives that it was difficult to juggle keeping their secret under wraps and roaming about in public together. But now that they had a reason, Cid and Vincent used it to their advantage to tag along with Cloud in an unmarked sedan that was waiting outside the military base.

As expected, he was waiting patiently for Cloud's arrival, but came off as surprised (yet glad) to see that the other members had decided to join. "Cid. Vincent," the dark haired man smiled. Reeve stood from his desk and approached them as they made their way into his office. "I didn't think Cloud would be bringing anyone along."

The General elaborated on that comment. "I was on my way out of Hughes' office when I ran into them. Apparently there is news about the attack all over the city."

"I know," Reeve sighed. He leaned against the corner of his desk and crossed his arms. "That's why I called you down here. I heard about what happened in the ruins. Hughes took the liberty of sending the report himself."

_Here we go,_ the spiky blond thought. Yet another lecture he didn't need to hear.

"Cloud…you do know he's just looking out for you, right? You're our greatest asset; not only to the company, but to the people as well. Those soldiers admire the hell out of you. They look up to you and would be devastated to lose such a great hero. I know you don't want to hear it, alright? But if you put yourself at risk like that; in a situation where you're not sure of what may occur, and something happens, then where does that leave us? I'm just asking that you be a bit more careful next time."

Clearly, the ex-SOLDIER was in no mood to be harangued. Even Cid and Vincent kept their mouths shut despite whether or not they agreed. Cloud, on the other hand, refrained from arguing simply because he had come here for one thing and one thing only. "Then why exactly did you call me for?" he asked.

"I wanted to discuss with you about some information I received along with Hughes' report." The president then reached around his back and picked up a piece of paper lying on the desk. "It says here that the species of monster is unknown."

"Yeah, I'd say that."

"So you've never seen them before?"

"No," Cloud replied.

"Then there's someone I'd like to consult in the matter. I don't believe you've met him. His name is Professor Nicholas Holt. He's quite the aficionado when it comes to subject matters such as these. I think he'll be able to get us the information that we need."

The General, with eyes as wide as dinner plates, said absolutely nothing. Professor. _Professor_. That title just gave him the chills. He could not, _would_ not meet this man if he had anything to do with it. Too many bad memories prevented Cloud from living life the way he used to. It wasn't until recently that he finally found some peace and was able to cope with everyday, normal situations. But this…this he was not ready for.

"I understand," the president continued. "I'll take care of this situation, if you do your job right."

A fair trade, it seemed.

"Fine," the blond huffed. Any other average Joe talking back to the president would suffer more unsympathetic consequences. Cloud, on the other hand, was fortunate for Reeve's friendship. It certainly came in handy during times like these.

But the president just smiled at the young man's provocation. He was still the same old Cloud that Reeve knew when they first met in so many ways. It was a comforting fact that reassured his faith in the General.

- - - - -

(**Author's Note:** Sorry if the beginning was a little confusing. The italics mean that specific scene took place in the past, about a year before the story takes place. I hope that clears up any possible confusion.)


	3. Chapter 3

**- - **

**Confidential Persistence**

- -

Holt was taken by surprise when the door to his office opened and Reeve stepped through. The president––whoever it may be at the time––rarely visited him. In fact, if he recalled correctly, Rufus, nor his father, had ever took the time to speak with him directly. This was the first time in his career that any higher up had not phoned in or sent another messenger to do their work. And he was thrilled.

"M-Mr. President," Professor Holt said, faltering over his words. "I was not expecting anyone."

"I'm sorry for coming in unannounced," Reeve replied with a smile, shutting the door behind him. He shook Holt's hand, and then glanced down at the file in his arm, "But I've got a request for you."

"Oh, yes––anything."

Professor Holt had always been very delightful and warmhearted man. Even though Reeve had only met him a few times before, it was a pleasure every time they did. "I'm guessing you've heard about the attack at the Midgar ruins?"

"Yes, I have," Holt replied in an earnest tone. "Actually, I was just reading up on it before you stepped in."

"I see. Then perhaps you might be able to help me with a problem we've come across." Reeve handed the file to the professor and continued as he began to skim through the pages. "As you may know, General Strife took the liberty of accompanying the troops we sent out. When the incident occurred, he informed me that he hadn't seen these types of monsters before, and stressed that they were very shrewd in their attacks."

The curiosity in Professor Holt's eyes gleamed brightly. "…Really?"

"Yes. I was wondering if it was possible for you to give us an idea as to what type of monsters they are."

When Holt shut the folder, he met the president's gaze with confidence. "Of course I can. Top priority, I believe?"

"If you would, please…"

"Yes," the older man chuckled. "It would be my pleasure."

"I very much appreciate this, Professor. But I'm afraid that I can't stay." Reeve headed for the door and Holt followed.

"Don't worry, Mr. President. I'll have the information you need by tomorrow morning."

A quick appreciative smile and the dark-haired man was gone before the professor could say anymore.

_Whew…_

He thought he had done a good enough job covering up the nerves that racked his body. Lying to the President was not exactly something Holt took pleasure in, but he had to come up with something. The files scattered around his desk top were not in regards to the attack. Yes, they dealt with the General, but not in that specific situation. In fact, the older man was surprised at how accessible they were. Such valuable and intimate information about Cloud's past seemed rather hard to come by--even for a man of his own status.

Returning to his seat, Professor Holt adjusted the glasses at the brim of his nose and let out a heavy sigh. He then placed the file he was holding on top of the others; wondering what to do next. The president's request was an odd one. How had the monsters not yet been identified? It seemed a bit unlikely, but managed to capture the professor's interest. He would do his best to find the information they needed. For now, it would be a good escape from the files that plagued his mind.

- -

"Daddy!" a voice shrieked as Marlene barreled down the stairway. The young girl raced towards her father and he scooped her into his arms with the greatest of ease. It was always heartwarming to see them together; since the gun-armed man was rarely ever home. He was lucky, though, to get some time off of work to visit and actually _rest._

Because today was a special day for everyone at the Seventh Heaven, and in celebration of that special day, Tifa decided it would be best to close the bar. She couldn't very well handle a birthday party _and_ the customers. Moreover, it wouldn't be fair to Marlene if her attention had strayed. This was the young girl's day; absolutely nothing would ruin it.

From behind the counter, the brunette approached them with a smile and glanced down at the brightly colored bag in his hand. "Presents go behind the bar for now," Tifa explained, "so I'll take that." She then returned to the bar to place the bag with the other gifts and continued cleaning up.

"I'm glad you're here," Marlene said as Barrett placed her down on the floor.

"R'you kiddin' me!? I wouldn't miss this for th'world!" the burly man exclaimed. Just a few moments later, Denzel joined the excitement. He was just as riled up as them, considering the fact that he'd been working on her present for almost a week now.

"So," the big man sighed. Marlene hopped up on a stool next to him with Denzel, but the kids started a game of their own--red hands. "Who's all comin'?"

"Yuffie and Nanaki I know for sure," Tifa replied. "But I'm not sure about Cid or Vincent. He said he had some delivery to make and wasn't positive. I guess they're going to try their best."

Then in a lower tone; hoping not to draw any attention, Barret leaned forward and asked: "N'what about Spike?"

The somber expression that pulled at Tifa's beautiful features told him everything he needed to know. She frowned in reply and shrugged her shoulders but returned to drying off the mug she held in her hand. "The General is unable to attend today's event, but he's been so busy lately with the attack…" A brief pause and the fighter continued. "I haven't even heard from him since it happened."

"How long s'it been?"

"Almost two days now."

"That's Cloud for ya." He pushed himself up from the stool and turned to face the kids. Now was not time to be sulking. "You wanna show me your homework before we get this party started!?"

But the girl simply laughed and jumped off the stool in front of him. "Daddy…"

"Why don't you show him the pictures you guys drew?" Tifa suggested, and then glanced up at the gun-armed man. "They've become our new wallpaper."

He erupted into a boisterous laugh and followed the kids as they hiked up the stairway. Now that everyone was off doing their own thing, the brunette couldn't fight the urge to try Cloud's office just _one_ more time. Maybe, just maybe if she was lucky enough, he'd be in.

To her right, she grabbed the phone off of the cradle and dialed the number specifically for his office. It was transferred to an operator, first, like always. "May I ask who's calling?"

"Tifa Lockhart."

She was one of the very few people in the world allowed access to this particular number.

There was a click followed by silence. No elevator music this time.

Catching herself in the act, Tifa found that she was drumming her fingers on the bar, as if to help pass the time. She didn't want to admit it but she couldn't deny that her nerves were shot. After hearing about what happened on the news, and then going without any word; no consolation…

"I'm afraid he's not in right now, Ms. Lockhart. Would you like to leave a message?"

A heavy sigh escaped her lips. That's what she had said the last time.

_I already left him a message, what good will another one do? _Tifa had to learn it the hard way, but couldn't refrain herself.

"Yes, please."

"Alright, I'll transfer you. Have a nice day."

Another click followed by more silence, which led to a beep. "Cloud it's me," she began, clearing her throat. "I'm sorry to keep calling you like this, but I haven't heard from you and I'm just worried. I tried calling your PHS but there was no answer. How are things over there? It's Marlene's birthday today, but you already know that. Maybe you should give her a ring later tonight if you can…" Tifa sighed; she knew she wouldn't hear from him. "I love you."

As she put the phone back, her fingers lingered over the cold, hard plastic.

_Why haven't I heard anything yet?_

- -

After what had happened earlier, when the General left so abruptly from his office, Hughes felt rather nervous about having to speak with him again. It was late––almost midnight to be exact––and neither of them had retired for the night. But there was no way around this. Most everyone else had left and the Lieutenant General didn't want to wake a messenger just to deliver what he already held in his hands. He felt bad about what happened earlier, hoping that the spiky blond was not still irate about it.

Either way, it had to be done.

As he approached the door, Hughes firmly grasped the knob and was going to waltz into the room as if nothing had happened, but quickly changed his mind. Instead, he poked his head through the door to see if Cloud was in there in the first place, which he was. _Great, he's gonna tear my head off…_ The General simply glanced up from his work to watch as his subordinate stepped further into the room.

"I'm sorry," Hughes spoke in a soft tone. "Are you busy?" The spiky blond did not offer a reply; he sat back in his chair as if to say 'no'. Having realized what this meant, the brunet came closer and placed the folders on the desk. "Listen…I'm sorry about what happened earlier. There was no need for me to step out of line like that."

Again, Cloud remained silent. It was almost agonizing for Hughes, standing there as he tried his best to make some sort of effort to apologize. But what the General did next, took him by surprise. Cloud let out a soft chuckle, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

Hughes simply stood there with his head slightly cocked. He was confused.

"It's fine," the blond replied. "I understand."

_But why are you laughing!?_

"I've got to admit though," Cloud continued and leaned forward, "you do one mean impression of my mother."

The Lieutenant General then took a seat in one of the chairs that sat in front of the desk. It was obvious that Cloud harbored no hard feelings, and he was grateful for that. "Really? I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted."

"You pick…either way."

As the laughter died down between the two of them, it became apparent that there was no more time to play around. Hughes came in there for a specific reason; not just to apologize. "Well, all joking aside." He then pointed to the documents lying in front of Cloud. "The files you requested." As the blond picked up one of the folders and skimmed through it, Hughes continued. "The Captain I sent out there yesterday; he wants to express his regret for not getting them to you sooner." A brief moment of silence passed before either of them spoke. "Why did you want them anyway?"

Still gazing over the words, Cloud replied with: "I was just wondering why these monsters would focus their attention on the ShinRa building and nothing else. Doesn't is seem suspicious to you?"

"Well of course it does, but you said it yourself. It's impossible to get in there."

Hughes was right, but Cloud couldn't fight this feeling of uncertainty. He then closed and dropped the file back onto his desk, leaning back in the chair. "Maybe I was wrong…"

"I don't understand."

"When the damage survey was taken, they called it off half way through and declared the building too unsafe to search. So there's a possibility they might've missed something, right?"

"Yeah, but what would the monsters want with anything in there in the first place? The building was completely ruined; as was everything inside."

"…Who knows," Cloud sighed. "A lot of weird things when on in there; terrible things. I figure they have every reason to." Both men fell silent again, each one of them racked their brains to think of _something_, some logical explanation for why this was happening. But there were so many possibilities, that Cloud and Hughes hoped would not be true. "And why don't we know what kind of monsters they are either?" the blond continued. Perhaps thinking aloud would help to open up new ideas. As far as Cloud knew, it was damn well worth a try. "Isn't _that _a bit strange?"

"Yeah, it is. But what are you trying to get at?" Hughes wondered. "That we go back there and search the building ourselves?" It must've been written all over his face, since the Lieutenant General somehow knew exactly what he was thinking. "Cloud, _no_. You read what it says in there. The building is too dangerous for anyone to be rummaging around in it! God only knows how many steal beams or hunks of concrete are teetering off a ledge, waiting to kill someone!"

Even now, as Hughes tried his best to change the General's mind, he knew that his efforts would go unheard. It was nothing but a lost cause.

"…You're going to go anyway, aren't you?"

"Yep," the blond replied and stood from his chair. He began to grab a few things and then headed for the door.

What Cloud was had in mind, Hughes wondered if he would ever understand. Though perhaps there was a chance he was worrying a little too much? The only way for him to find out was to stay quiet and tag along.

- -

Just twenty miles to the west, Sao Reiben strolled through the halls of ShinRa HQ. He was on his way home, after having successfully plowed through a massive heap of files that towered his desk. It felt good to finally stand and _stretch_. Even his hand was sore from writing all day. The only thing on his mind at that moment was snuggling up in his nice warm bed. But before he could make it to the elevators, Reiben noticed that the lights were still on in the president's office. One more stop wouldn't be too much to ask.

He knocked gently on the office door and stepped in when the dark-haired man called out. Reeve was sitting behind his desk, head propped up by an arm but he was hiding his face.

"Hey there," Sao began and stepped in further. He could see that the President was writing something down, hurrying to finish. It was obvious, the way he handled things. Anyone with a brain could tell what the problem was. But Reiben didn't want to make any assumptions right off the bat. He would approach this situation at a safe pace. "You okay?"

Sighing, Reeve set the pad of paper down on the desk and spun around to face the other man. "I don't know what to do," he replied.

Reiben came even closer; almost to the desk. "About the General, right?"

"Yeah," the President nodded. "I have to tell him, but…"

"Of course."

"I just don't feel like this is the right time. I mean I know how he's going to react."

Sao interjected. "Do you?" The particular question; _why_ he would even ask it struck Reeve with an intrigue he hadn't felt before. "Tell him when you're ready, but don't hesitate. He needs to know." Reiben turned around and headed for the door, but before leaving; added something over his shoulder. "And get some sleep, too. You could use it."

The door shut silently in his wake; leaving Reeve alone to think about those two little words.

_Do you?_


	4. Chapter 4

**- - **

**Tough Decisions**

**- -**

_**Joshua**_

_Lately_.

Lately he has been behind that desk and nowhere else. With his nose shoved into a folder – God only knows what they could be. It seems different now. He's the same, but not. How is that even possible? I haven't a clue. There is _something_, though – something not right.

"Here are the rest of the files you requested," I said, struggling not to drop them all.

"Ah yes," he replied, briefly glancing up from behind his reading glasses. Professor Holt waved a hand to motion me over and I proceeded. "You can set them on the floor, here." There were already stacks of papers gathered around his desk, so I placed them close enough to make sure he wouldn't forget.

"I'm afraid I was unable to get the last few, though…"

Eventually, the professor removed his glasses and set the document he was holding down in front of him. "That's alright," he sighed, "You've done well enough. I'll get the rest myself."

I nodded in reply having thought that maybe he'd be a bit upset with the news, but he was completely at ease. I could not detect a drop of disappointment in his voice. It was almost as if he had expected this. There was not much time to doddle over the fact, though, as I had an incredible amount of work to finish and no one to help. Figuring the professor didn't require my assistance anymore, I headed for the door carefully passing a mountain of paperwork, but before I could make it any further…

"Oh, one more thing," he spoke up. Professor Holt approached and handed me a file that was marked with a seal I had seen before. "Could you make sure that this gets to the president's desk?"

––_Top priority_––

My work would have to wait.

- -

High winds blew forcefully across the plains, picking up a whirlwind of sand that obscured vision for miles on end. Normally, on a clear day, the ruins were visible from the city, but this day was different. No one could see what would take place, and it was because of that fact, the General chose today.

A team of highly trained soldiers had been gathered for the specific task; each one designated with their own abilities. Other than the team, the General himself, Hughes, Cid and Vincent, not a single soul stood within a 20 mile radius.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the Lieutenant General asked in hopes that maybe Cloud would rethink the situation. He watched nervously as the blond adjusted his earpiece, which was to be used for communication while exploring the building.

"I have to," Cloud replied over the howl of the wind.

From behind, the pilot flashed Hughes a look of empathy and flicked his cigarette to the ground. "Don't worry. We'll take good care of him."

Despite those generous encouraging words, Hughes simply stared back as if to say _'I'm not so sure about that'._ Each one of them knew Cloud well enough to realize that arguing would be a lost cause. The only thing they could do was stand by his side, lend their efforts and hope that nothing would go wrong. It became too late to start beginning the General not to go, when three soldiers who had been sent to inspect the vicinity returned shortly bearing good news.

"General, sir! The perimeter has been cleared; you're good to go." Without anymore hesitation, the spiky blond proceeded to follow their squad leader to the point of entry. "The entrance is just through there," the soldier explained, as he pointed to a small, shady opening located between two large chucks of concrete. "It's a tight squeeze, but you'll be able to get through without much difficulty."

Everything seemed to be going up to that point. There had been no signs of monster activity in the area, unlike the previous incident. However, all of them remained on their highest guard. There was no room to take any chances; even Cloud agreed on that.

The General was the first one to step in, which he had to turn sideways to do. But all three men made it inside without err.

"Lucky bastards," the pilot grumbled as he switched on his light. Cloud and Vincent no longer required the use of such a tool, though it wasn't _always _a blessing.

"Well?" Hughes chimed in over the ear piece. He had waited to the point where he could no longer stand the silence. "What do you see?"

Taking a moment to find his footing, Cloud realized that the terrain was rather jagged and unstable. Various objects from the building's structure had piled on top of the heavier textiles used for the frame that made walking somewhat difficult. It didn't take long, though, for all of the team to proceed further into the darkness. "A whole lot of nothing," Cloud replied. "It's funny though. Doesn't this seem like a pathway?"

The gunman spoke up in agreement, having come to the same conclusion. "I was just thinking the same thing." Such an unnerving observation at an early stage of the process left much room for skepticism. Though the possibility that it was just their mind playing tricks was as convincing as the thought itself; none of them spoke a word for safety's sake, save only for necessity. A simple slip of the foot could have exposed their location for any creature lurking about the shadows.

"Would'ja look at that," the pilot murmured to himself. They had made it over a steep embankment, and upon arrival, something truly amazing. The light that Cid carried reached as far as it could, and then simply vanished. All around them sat enormous mounds of steel and concrete. However, in a massive plunge that seemed to reach to the deepest depths, lay nothing.

"What?" Hughes asked.

Cloud stepped over a pile of splintered wood and rejoined Cid and Vincent before answering. "…The building. It must've collapsed from the sides. This space is massive…" From the corner of his eye, the spiky blond, thoroughly impressed with the significant size of space, noticed something more appealing; enough to pull his attention away from the sight before them. It sat tucked away in a dark corner that seemed almost purposely hidden. Why, though, was a question he could not answer.

Once the gunman took notice of Cloud's interest, he grabbed Cid's wrist and led him behind the General. They slid carefully down a steep mount while debris plunged below them, and stopped to watch intently until the spiky blond spoke up.

"It's a stairwell," Cloud noted.

"A stairwell?"

"They lead down somewhere…"

Concerned about this; every worst possible scenario ran through his head. The Lieutenant General felt it necessary to advise them. "Cloud, be careful. You're lucky nothing has happened yet."

As true as those words may've been, they did not prove strong enough to override the General's curiosity. There was a thunderous, hair-raising screech of what sounded like metal against concrete that echoed down a long corridor, sending chills through the skin of its company. "What the…?"

Vincent spoke softly. "Impossible."

Cloud frowned to himself. "Put that out," he hissed. Without asking any questions, the pilot did so immediately and stayed close to his lover for direction. "They look like lab rooms," speculated the General.

"Labs?" Hughes echoed. "No. That can't be right."

"Weren't their facilities in Nibelheim?" Cid asked.

"Well, yeah, but I don't recall ever hearing about them being in the _basement_ of headquarters."

"That's because you didn't. They never existed, or were never documented," the Lieutenant General clarified; his voice sounding more certain than but a few seconds before.

"Doesn't surprise me," Cloud retorted, "But why do I get the feeling that I've been here before?"

From the darkness, a deep voice offered an answer. "Perhaps you have?"

As possible as the notion seemed, Cloud remained silent, keeping his thoughts to himself. They had made it halfway down the corridor without any concerns until then. There was no movement; no intelligible sounds––only the shrill ring of silence.

The gunman did not move from his position, though Cid knew he was watching the General with keen eyes. Apparently neither one of them had spotted anything out of the ordinary, besides the fact that they had stumbled upon an unidentified facility.

For but only moments, which seemed nothing short of an eternity, they, with much concern, crept slowly down the corridor, inspecting every inch of the passageway. It wasn't until Cloud strayed from their group, that the gunman began to feel uneasy. Though his options were limited in making sure no one put themselves in danger, his intuition proved true; when––in but the blink of an eye––a swift and audible breeze blew in front of them.

Too little, too late. Cid staggered backwards as Vincent bumped into him. It was clear that the gunman was merely trying to be protective by the way he lingered closely; close enough that Cid could feel his warmth. "Stay here," Vincent instructed in a low voice; then rushed down the corridor to where Cloud had been knocked down.

Both monster and human collided through a window, and crashed into an open room that likely served as a storage area. Vincent stood his ground in the hallway, glaring through the shattered window frame as he tried his best to get a good shot. He could not see the General around the massive creature, but recognized the sound of a familiar, pain-filled voice that howled from within the room. _"Get out of here!"_ it pleaded.

Ignoring the cry, with his weapon raised, Vincent followed the monster as it thrashed about the room with Cloud under it. He had obviously been hurt; the gunman could see by the dark liquid that smeared around the concrete floor. But when that moment came, when that miniscule chance presented itself, he took his chance. The corridor lit up with three distinct flashes. The bullets had pierced their target, effectively killing the assailant.

In one deft leap, Vincent immediately dashed through the broken window over to the General who was struggling to push the monster off that had fallen onto him. Though sporting a rather brutal wound, he managed to roll out from under the enormous beast, and staggered briefly while regaining his balance. It was obvious that Cloud was not going to get out of there without some help. Vincent knew he had no other choice.

He caught him before the blond managed to collapse again and tried his best to mind the wound; though unsure of how large or bad it was. In spite of the pain, Cloud simply ground his teeth as if that would make it bearable. Not a single cry escaped his constricted lungs, but Vincent knew that, regardless of his efforts, they didn't have much time.

Back in the corridor and rushing towards Cid, the gunman grabbed the pilot who switched the light back on so as not to be a third wheel. He could see that Vincent already had enough to bear and was able to walk on his own now with the light. It was difficult, however, trying not to slip on the blood that trailed behind them.

It didn't take as long to get back up as it did down, simply because the gunman knew he had no choice but to move quickly. They emerged from the small gap they'd entered through within minutes and were greeted by Hughes, whose expression was not far from horrified. Just the sight of the blood-spattered General was enough to make any man nauseous. What lay under his mangled clothing; a simple gesture would tell.

"God Almighty," Hughes huffed out of shock. It took him a moment to take in the ghastly sight, but the Lieutenant General quickly regained some sense and began shouting orders to the soldiers. No one asked any questions; just did their jobs. Within moments, everyone was piled into two separate vehicles and heading to the closes medical facility.

Sitting on the other side of the truck, Hughes stared in horror at, not just a hero, but his friend, Cloud; at the mess he was on the outside and undoubtedly on the inside. His lips moved ever so slightly, though no words came out. They repeated the same plea, though no one could distinguish what it was. Of course, none of them wanted to lose Cloud that day, but the gunman managed to contain his nerves better than anyone else. Cid came off as rather gloomy about the whole thing. He sported a frown for the duration of the trip and watched with keen blue eyes once the soldiers unloaded the General from the truck.

Even with the materials they had, nothing seemed to truly help. Something more needed to be done, and fast. The General's time was running out–– and_ fast_.

He disappeared into the building once the doctors took control. As of that moment, there wasn't much that anyone else could do; nothing else but to make a few phone calls.

- -

_//…What happened…WHAT HAPPENED!?…//_

_Is he going to be alright…Is he?_

News about the incident spread like wild fire once the squadron arrived. It was to be expected, though, since concealing the General's injuries from open eyes was next to impossible. Through the front doors and down a lengthy back corridor was the quickest route. In there, doctors were free from unwanted spectators, allowing them much more liberty to focus on their patient.

Behind the band of doctors trailed Hughes, Vincent and Cid. No one else had been permitted access beyond those large double doors. And all the while, the Lieutenant General tried desperately to contact the president over the phone. It was hectic, but he shoved a finger in his ear to drown out the noise; the racket was the least of his worries. Having to tell Reeve that their operation failed because of an injury, life-threatening at that, was something Hughes did not want to do.

While the doctors burst through another set of doors into a different room, the last three men remained outside in the hall. Cid and Vincent stood and watched curiously at the brunet who tried his best to explain what had happened. They couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor guy. In the pit of his stomach, he knew something like this would happen. Once he was finished, Hughes ran a shaky hand through his hair and let out a heavy sigh. For now, he would anxiously anticipate the arrival of Reeve.

"I don't think I can tell Tifa," the Lieutenant General said.

"Don't worry," Cid replied. "I'll do it." Somewhat reassured by this, Hughes nodded in thanks and stepped aside once the pilot made his way down the hall. By then, things finally seemed to be calming down.

"He'll be alright," the gunman offered in an attempt to help shed some light on the situation. "Cloud has been through much worse."

But the Lieutenant General shook his head despite. "It's not that I'm really worried about." A brief moment of silence passed before Hughes continued. "Sure it was nerve-racking when you pulled him out of that building, but there's something else I can't quite put my finger on." Vincent frowned at the comment; he needed more of an explanation. So they turned and headed for the other end of the hall to take a short, private walk. "Cloud thinks that there's a reason those monsters are trying to get down there. But now that I know they've managed to get inside…"

"I understand," the gunner replied. "I've been anticipating this as well."

"What?" Hughes blinked, surprised by what he just heard.

They stopped halfway down the hall and turned to face each other. "Cloud knows; I've told him already. There was an incident…"

"Incident…?"

"I thought perhaps at first it was a dream, but now I'm beginning to wonder whether or not that is true." Vincent quickly shifted his weight to the other leg to lean in closer. "The planet…has issued a forewarning of sorts. I can feel it."

"Have you always been this attuned to…y'know, stuff like that?"

"I suppose in a way…yes."

Hughes frowned. He tried his best to comprehend what Vincent was telling him, though it seemed useful knowing that Cloud might not make it. "But how do you know for sure? I mean…did this happen during the Meteor Crisis?"

"Yes; however, I cannot truly be certain that this is what I believe it to be."

A heavy breath escaped the brunet's trembling frame. His eyes immediately dropped from the gunman's gaze to the floor. "I don't know what to believe," Hughes murmured, shaking his head. "There is obviously a bigger picture here, though. There's got to be…"

- -

(**Author's Note:** Now we get to the action. Make it so!)


	5. Chapter 5

- -

**Peace No Longer**

- -

_**Reeve**_

When I heard about the accident, I felt my heart drop into the pit of my stomach. The entire way over, in the back seat of the car, ever worst possible scenario ran through my head. And sure enough, when I arrived, as I skimmed through the report, my instinct had been proven correct. I felt as if I was confirming his death: severe, deep bite wounds; excessive loss of blood; numerous bouts of unconsciousness; it was almost too much that I couldn't find it in myself to read the rest.

But despite the life-threatening injuries, regardless of how damaged his physical state was, he managed to survive. They'd stitched him up and pumped him full of pain medication. Well, at least that was all he would let them do. Even when knocking at death's door, Cloud remained as stubborn as the day I met him.

As I walked into the room, I came to see him facing the window, struggling to do something as simple as put his shirt on. From where I stood, his wound was not visible, and he didn't even turn to give me a look. In fact, he barely even acknowledged my presence, or so I thought.

"I need to go back," the blond said, much to my surprise. As amazed as I was with his determination, I had to tell him.

"Nobody is going back in there, Cloud. Not until further investigation."

That is when he turned around. The look on his face was fuming.

"…What do you mean? I _have_ to go back."

"Cloud, you were just injured severely. It's amazing you're even up and walking. If anything, you should be resting."

"I don't care," he hissed and went for the bed. On the floor sat a small bag that contained what looked like his soiled clothing. That is when I realized: Cloud intended on leaving.

"You should care. There are a lot of people out there who would be devastated to lose you! People you––" but then it hit me. I'd nearly exposed myself, even if he was much too concerned with other things. "––People you wouldn't even think of." All he did was shake his head. I knew there wasn't much I could do or say to change his mind; that there was no use in arguing. "Look," I continued, my voice taking on a stern tone. "No one––not even you––is stepping foot inside that building. So I suggest you find something else to occupy your time with."

He looked so livid; in terrible pain and annoyed beyond belief, but I didn't have any other choice. Despite whether or not Cloud was a good friend, or a victim, I had to put my foot down; he answered to me and me only.

It came as somewhat of a blessing when the door flew open from behind. Tifa, red eyed, with tears streaming down her flushed cheeks ran straight passed me to him.

"Oh my God!" she cried, embracing him into a hug. The blond grimaced in pain as she had collided with him a bit too hard. He instinctively pushed her away, bending over slightly as if it would help. "I'm sorry…"

Cloud just shook his head, hands gripping her shoulders for balance. It was then that I realized my presence would be nothing but a nuisance, and slipped quietly out the door.

- -

"Thank goodness you're alright," the brunette continued. What she had heard from Cid came off as sounding near fatal. "I was so worried, are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah," the blond replied.

Behind him, Tifa watched with curiosity as he finished packing his bag. He had been acting strange lately and there was absolutely no reason or explanation to accompany it. "You're not leaving are you?"

"I have to…"

She frowned; hard lines pulling at her soft features. "Have to? You were just mauled by a monster, Cloud. Aren't you going to at least rest a bit?"

"I _can't_ rest. There's work that needs to be done."

At one point, his lack of communication and bottling of emotions seemed like the worst thing in the world. Now it was different. It was almost as if he didn't care about nearly dying; like it had never even happened. "Cloud, can't you at least tell me what you were doing down there? I hear from you two days ago about an attack, and then this. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"…I'm sorry," was all he managed to say, and in a tone that didn't sound as sincere as she would have liked.

"Don't be sorry, just talk to me. Tell me what's going on here, because obviously there's something big!"

The blond did not offer a reply. If it was up to him, he would have already left, to chase after evidence that might lead to an answer. "I…"

So she waited; and waited and waited for what seemed like much too long, but didn't get the answer, or any for that matter, that she wanted. "No," the brunette sighed irritably before he could respond. "I understand. If it's too much for you to explain, then don't bother."

No one tried to stop the General once he left the room. Just a few hours ago and they were wheeling him down the hall on a gurney. It would be nothing less than shocking to see a man once on the verge of death, pass by in the hall as if nothing had happened.

Tifa, on the other hand, abandoned yet again, was left to wonder just exactly why the man she thought she loved, whom she thought loved her as well, would treat her in such a manner.

In an attempt to check and see how the fighter was doing, Reeve took it upon himself to take a handle on the situation, for she had not left the room after Cloud. Tifa remained inside for quite some time after he had gone, and they couldn't help but worry. When the dark haired man stepped in, Tifa merely shrugged it off as if nothing happened. The fact that they were having problems was no ones business and she intended to keep it that way.

…"_Cloud says he's fine, so there's not much I can do. I should get back to the bar. Barret and the kids are waiting"…_

- -

He found him in his office, busily working away at categorizing the many files that overwhelmed the small space; the professor seemed exhausted. After such a hectic few days, having not caught a wink of sleep trying to keep the press away, even he found himself aching for a nap. There was much work to be done, but hardly any time to waste.

"Oh, my goodness," the professor gasped, jumping slightly at the unexpected, and slightly ominous presence in his office. "You startled me."

The man simply smiled and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. "I apologize." It was obvious he had come for some reason, which is why he got down to the point. "How is the project coming along?"

Holt sighed heavily. He set down a few files before answering the question and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Not as well as I had hoped. I was able to attain a few files, but there are some that I was not. With my limitations, I doubt I'll be able to get there rest in time."

"I see," the man nodded and bit his lower lip. "Then I guess I'll have to do some work of my own."

"I apologize for not being able to do it myself, but there was no way to get them without making a spectacle."

Raising his hand, the other man dismissed the professor's disgrace as if it were nothing––so forgiving. "Not a problem. It's just a shame we'll be set back temporarily. However, I do have some good news. I've found a lab for you. Somewhere quiet where you will not be disturbed."

"…Y-yes, thank you."

The man then turned towards the door and was about to escort himself out before adding one last comment. "Oh and professor, do try to tidy this place up."

There was no response, only fear. Holt watched with wide eyes as the man disappeared just as swiftly as he came in.

- -

Though the time that passed seemed like an eternity, it had only been an hour since the General left the infirmary in Edge. Had it really happened, or was it merely a dream? No. _What a ridiculous thought_, Reeve told himself. _You're thinking too much_. Too much, indeed. When the door opened with a creak to snap him out of his stupor, the president glanced up at his visitor; a hesitant Lieutenant General, who lingered in the door way awaiting permission to enter.

"Hughes," Reeve spoke, sitting upright from having been slouching in his chair. All the young man did was smile weakly in reply and approached the desk near the large window. "Have the others gone?"

"Yes. Cid and Vincent left about an hour ago," the brunet replied. Nodding in acknowledgement, the president did not speak up. For the first time in a while, he was getting a pounding migraine. "If I may ask, are you alright?"

"I'm not sure," the dark haired man admitted. "It's just…been a rough week. To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything to happen. I thought that maybe we had finally found some peace…"

"I understand."

Both men ceased their conversing as Reeve's eyes traveled to the surface of his desk. He hadn't noticed it before, but there was a solitary folder lying neatly in front of him. The dark haired man sat forward to reach for it, glancing over the label before looking to Hughes who seemed just as curious.

It didn't take the dark-haired man very long to reveal the contents of the folder. Once Reeve realized what it was, what he had been anxiously anticipating; he became overwhelmed with delight. "He did it…"

"Did what?" Hughes wondered aloud.

"We have the information," the president explained, "the monsters. We know what they are."

"Well?"

Stopping to pick a good place to read from, Reeve elaborated. "It says here that the creatures are comprised of what is known as the 'Negative Lifestream', which is created once those who suffered from the disease referred to as 'Geostigma', pass on."

"Geostigma," Hughes repeated, knitting his brow. "The side-effects that one suffers as the Spirit Energy battles with JENOVA's cells…?"

"Right. But what I don't understand is what it says here." Reeve pointed to a specific word on the page. "They're summons."

"You mean…someone is behind this?"

"I'm not sure, though it would explain why they appear out of nowhere."

The president sighed and closed the folder only to set it back down in front of him. Hughes, on the other hand, still had a few questions on his mind. "Then do you think Cloud is right? That they really do have a reason to be snooping around the ruins?"

"I'm not sure," Reeve replied, shrugging. "It doesn't seem far-fetched. Maybe you should bring these to Cloud so he can see for himself?" Nodding, Hughes stood from the chair and grabbed the folder. He then headed for the door but was stopped before making it outside into the hall. "And make sure he stays out of trouble."

With a smile, the Lieutenant General replied, "Of course."

Alone again, another moment of silence, no distractions, only the bustling city from below.

A fleeting glimmer of hope to light the darkened path.

Things were finally starting to calm down somewhat it seemed, now that they had no other choice but to wait. Even with the authority he had, Reeve wasn't able to do much. Though the thought of taking a nap on the couch seemed tempting, it was interrupted by his office door opening yet again. This time, Reiben strolled in.

"I hate to burst in on you like this, but the action never stops."

Curious as to what that meant, Reeve stood from his chair and walked out from behind his desk. "Eh?"

"I have two gentlemen waiting outside who insist on seeing you right away. They took it upon themselves to knock out a few of our guards downstairs, so I guess it's important."

With a frown, the president folded his arms across his chest and waited as Reiben went to escort them in. As much as he tried to guess, the dark haired man would have figured it was them.

"Good to see you, too, yo," the red-head snickered.

- -

_//…Deep within the confines of a dark and shady alley, two children played mindlessly within the safety of the two buildings. A fresh coat of rain covered the filthy ground, but they couldn't have cared any less. It made for much creativity with their young and innovative minds. The two young boys ran and leaped and bounded over random discarded objects, trashcans and various other garbage. This was their home; their playground._

_As the older and slightly taller of the two made his way around a large dumpster, he skidded to a stop just a few feet away from the other. The young boy was about to raise his invisible weapon, but keen eyes caught sight of something that pulled at his attention. Completely devoured by this, the young boy took a few steps forward, trying his best to get a better look, but stopped in his tracks just a few moments later._

"_Hey! What're you doin'?" the other young boy shouted over his make-shift fortress comprised of two smaller trash cans. It was then, when the older boy rushed to his friend and grabbed him by the shirt collar._

"_Be quiet!" he hissed, ducking behind a pile of wood. The alleyway fell silent again as both of them glared into the distance. If what their eyes could see was real, then the amount of danger they were in was much more than any criminal that roamed the city. It didn't take them long to realize that they had to get out of there. So with what sense of urgency they had, both boys dashed towards the end of the alleyway once the moment presented itself._

_On the other side of the building, two older men dressed in similar suits, though one more presentable than the other, strolled down the street as the sun rose from the buildings that towered into the sky. It came as a surprised to the both of them as the two children scrambled out of the alleyway and nearly knocked them down. The youngest had nearly missed colliding into the red-head, but he managed to knock him off balance some what, spilling the contents of his cup._

"_Hey, watch it ya punks!" he snarled, trying not to sully his suit any further._

_His companion, the bald and more composed of the two, simply watched in amusement._

"_Damnit," the red-head hissed. "Th'little shit spilled my drink."_

_The bald man's amusement was short-lived, when he began to realize that something was off. "They seemed to be in a hurry…"_

"_Yeah," the other barked, turning towards where the children had disappeared. "They should be 'cause I'd TEAR THEIR FRIGGIN HEAD'S OFF!"_

_As unexpectedly as the two young boys appeared, the bald man stopped in his tracks, nearly colliding with his partner who had not been paying attention. "Jeeze, Rude, Would'ja watch where you're goin?" Reno griped, but was silenced soon after._

_Rude pointed in front of them at the alleyway where the young boys had come from. In the building's shadow, a large, silhouetted figure appeared and moved about slowly as if it were poking around. It had not yet sensed their presence, which was when the two men decided it would be best if they took off like the kids…//_

"What are you two doing here?" Reeve asked, eyeing them skeptically.

"Before you fly off your handle, you might want to reconsider having us kicked out. You're definitely going to want to hear this," Reno replied.

The president stood silently for a moment, mulling over the suggestion. If the matter at hand was so important, they wouldn't have bothered making such a fierce entrance. Perhaps what they had to say was of dire importance? "Fine," the dark-haired man huffed, "but make it quick."

- -

_**Hughes**_

My top priority––when arriving at M.HQ––was to deliver the somewhat good news to Cloud. Several times, did I try his office phone; even his PHS, but there was no answer. I wasn't surprised, though, after he had taken off so quickly from the hospital. He probably wasn't even in his office, which seemed kind of pointless to start looking for him there. We would cross paths eventually.

Just before I rounded the corner towards the elevators in the main lobby, my own PHS came to life. I had jumped, for some unclear reason, and nearly had a heart attack when it went off. But my shaky hands eventually found the phone in my breast coat pocket and I answered calmly. "Lieutenant General Hughes."

It was Reeve and he sounded rather strange.

"Have you found Cloud yet?"

"No, sir; I was just on my way to his office."

"I have some news. There's been a report of a monster sighting in the city."

"…What!?"

"You need to get back here immediately. Find Cloud and do whatever you need to do to contain the situation."

"How long ago did the report come in?"

"Just now…"

"Alright," I sighed, "I'll get on it."

The elevator had reached the designated floor before I could even hang up, but I rushed out of there and down the hall in a frenzy. Without even knocking, I burst through the General's office door only to find him lying, asleep, on the couch. He barely even moved, let alone roused despite the thunderous boom as the door hit the wall behind it. It wasn't much of a surprise, though, considering what he had been through in the last few days.

"Cloud," I spoke softly. The spiky blond let out a miserable groan, but turned to face the other way. "You need to wake up," I continued, shaking his shoulder. It seemed like it would be no use trying to rouse him that way, so I stood up and placed the folder on his desk. "We've got trouble in the city. There is a monster on the loose."

As I had hoped he would, the General shot up from his position on the couch and grimaced at the pain sudden influx of pain. "What?"

"Reeve just called in a minute ago. He says we need to get back to Edge right away and do whatever is necessary to fix this." My back had been facing him for no more than a few seconds, but when I turned around he was already heading for the door without having said anything. "Hey, wait!"

- -

_**Cid**_

When I came back to the ship, it was coming on late morning. The sun had risen hours ago but it was still cold outside. My jacket wasn't helping at all either, once I realized my teeth were starting to chatter. That was when I jogged the rest of the way back; hell bent on getting my ass inside.

On the bridge, I was greeted by a lone crewmember that hadn't gone out for the day. Everyone else decided to hit the city, seein' as how it'd been a while since we'd been in town. We usually made deliveries to the smaller cities; the beach or in the mountains. But lately, there'd been a high demand for me. Whatever the reason, it didn't matter. Work was work and that's all I gave a damn about––as long as there was money involved.

I made my way into a long corridor after nodding to the crewman, and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of my pocket. For some reason, I'd forgotten lately about smoking. And every once and a while I'd go days without one. I figured it was because of Vince and him keepin' me way too busy to even think about it; because it sure as hell wasn't _my_ logic and reasoning.

Half a cigarette later and I finally made it to my room. I stepped in rather briskly closing the door behind me only to stumble upon the gunman sitting on the floor with papers scattered randomly around.

"Sorry, Vince." A sheepish smirk pulled at the corners of my lips, as I rubbed the back of my neck. He didn't look angry, but dismissed the apology with a sigh and began to gather the papers. "What're these?" I asked, kneeling down to help pick them up.

"Reeve asked me to look over these files for him," he replied. "So I decided I would."

"Oh…" They came in white envelopes, sealed with red tape that read "confidential". Must've been important. Once the papers were in two neatly stacked piles, I came to my knees in front of him as he continued to glance them over. Vincent seemed worn-out, though that wasn't much of a surprise. We hadn't slept for a while now––at least two days. "You been readin' these all morning?" I wondered, and picked one up to glance over myself.

The gunner exhaled heavily, and then rubbed his eyes with his ungloved right hand. "Unfortunately, but I made a promise." From what I could understand, they read about those unidentified creatures and mentioned something regarding the General. And that professor guy––Holt, I think his name was… "How is the rest of the shipment coming along?"

"Ahh," I groaned, my back hitting the door hard as I fell against it. Every inch of my body was aching, begging for some sort of relief. Not only had I taken on the responsibility of a shipment, but helping Cloud out as well. It was probably pretty obvious, but I answered anyway. "'Nother day n' we'll be done."

He made a sort of sympathetic groan and set the files he held, down onto the floor. I could've passed out right then and there if my mind woulda let me, but for some reason, I couldn't stop staring. His hair wasn't up in that damned bandana thing, and he'd stashed his cloak somewhere. The only thing Vincent had on was a black button up shirt, a pair of slacks and some socks, which were probably mine. It was truly something, if you were lucky to see him in something other than his normal getup. I, on the other hand, had been privileged enough to see him in less––_much_ less.

Apparently without my knowing, Vince had noticed that I was gawking at him and a playful smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. I didn't realize it until he said somethin', though. In fact, I think I even went red in the face a bit.

"You must be exhausted," he purred, getting to his hands and knees. He actually crawled to me. Hell, I wasn't tired anymore… "Perhaps you should get in bed?"

The way his voice dipped low and sultry hit hard down below. Vince always knew how to get me riled, and this was definitely one of those times. "Yeah right," I snorted. "I doubt I could make it there on my own."

"Then I will have to help you…"

My eyes, heavy with fatigue, had slid shut, but I felt a lone finger press lightly against my collarbone and trace downward. It sent chills up my spine; the way he toyed with me like that. Whoever thought Vincent Valentine could be so frisky? I knew I sure didn't. It was one hell of a surprise the first time we played around, and still managed to come as a shock from time to time.

He drew his hand away and sat in front of me on his knees again. I began to crave his touch once all I could feel was from memory, and took it upon myself to get what I really wanted, which was definitely not sleep. The dark-haired man sat and watched as I mustered up the strength to simply open my eyes. I guess I was more tired than I thought, but I didn't give a damn.

"Help me?" I repeated. "You couldn't pick me up if your life depended on it. Look at your scrawny ass." Of course I was only playin' around. I knew that he could. Vincent was damn strong for his physique, but all I wanted was to rouse him. And maybe indirectly entice him into getting me in bed so I wouldn't have to do it myself.

The gunman didn't reply, though. It was obvious that he knew what I was thinking. Still, it came as a surprise when he actually picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. As shocked as I was, Vince amazed me yet again when he tossed me onto the bed without much concern. Once I stopped bouncing on the mattress, I found that all I could focus on was the lustful look in his eyes. Maybe he was missin' me a bit more than I thought?

Propped on my elbows, I watched as Vincent knelt onto the mattress and crawled over my legs where he settled onto my lap. The gunner then purposefully, yet gently, ground his crotch into mine, and elicited a soft moan through parted lips. "Jeeze, Vince," I breathed heavily. There was a knot growing in the pit of my stomach and it wasn't getting any better with him riding me like that.

He came forward, but didn't lean all the way down. Vincent supported his upper half with his arms; hands on either sides of my face as I was lying down. "It's been a very long day," he replied, lowering himself closer to me. I could feel his hot breath on the side of my neck, lips just barely brazing the skin. I wanted him so badly right then and there, but the bastard continued to tease. He had scooted down a tad and pulled up my shirt to place a trail of kisses down my stomach. It felt unbelievably amazing; too good for words to describe, and all I could do was lie there and take it. "You taste like coffee," he noted, after having traced his tongue around a nipple. I found it hard not to throw him down on that bed and fuck him senseless, but he pulled away temporarily to focus on pulling my belt off.

"Oh yeah?" My lower abdomen twitched a bit as his hand brushed lightly against my groin. "I spilled some on my jacket earlier…guess it didn't come out all the way." Vince just smiled and then yanked the belt out from my pants in one swift move. This caused me to buck upward a little and I could feel his arousal press against mine. He seemed to like it, though, when he tipped his head back for the briefest of moments. "Fuck, Vince," I groaned, urging him to speed things up. My hands quickly found their way to his thighs, which I squeezed tightly. I wanted more than this torment.

"Be patient," the gunman replied and started on his own clothing. I 'spose it was somewhat of a strip show; something he rarely did since I was the one who usually ripped them off before he could. It only made waiting even worse. I felt like I was going to explode and we hadn't even done anything yet.

He didn't take his shirt off completely once the buttons were undone. It hung from his lean figure as he bent down to claim my lips in a passionate kiss. Finally, things were taking off. I breathed heavily through my nose and pulled at his waist, as if that would help any. I just wanted to touch him; to feel his body pressed hard against mine.

We stayed that way for a while; our tongue's dueling for control, or pure desire. I even lost some restraint; my hands roaming about every part of his body I could reach. And all the while, Vince moaned into the seemingly boundless kiss. He arched his back so that his body pressed hard against mine and crushed our hips together, but the decision to take it to the next step was not mine to make. When the gunner was ready, he'd go for it and I would be there waiting.

Almost completely disrobed a few moments later, Vince and I were in nothing but our boxers. It didn't stay that way for long, once he decided enough was enough. I felt him shift off of me in an attempt to slide out of the last of his clothing, and took it as a hint to do the same. "C'mere," I said, sitting upright. Vincent returned to straddle my lap once again, but held most of his weight up with his knees. It was too much with his groin pressed against mine.

Instead of going for it right away, I snaked an arm around his waist and ran the tip of my tongue up his stomach. He shuddered out of sheer pleasure; arms slung over my shoulders with one hand combing through the back of my hair. I could feel his fingers tense as I teased a sensitive spot just under his right collarbone. The gunman moaned loudly this time, arching his back so that his erection pressed against my stomach. It seemed he was more than ready to get down to business, as was I. There was no reason for us to waste anymore time.

Just as I had reached in between us to grab my own arousal, Vincent went to part himself with one hand and lowered slowly, though only as preparation for what would come next. We weren't going to do this dry if we could help it. Unfortunately, that meant one of us had to get up. "Wait," he murmured, pulling back slightly. The gunman didn't get very far, once I tugged him back and pressed my lips hard against his.

"Tell me how bad you want it," I growled, breaking the kiss. My hand was now wrapped around the base of his cock. I could feel every spasm as he writhed on top of me. His need was clear, but I wanted to hear it from him. In that thick voice; aching for release…

"Nnh," was all he managed to say as I squeezed my fist a bit. Vincent gasped sharply and gazed down at me with a frown. His eyes begged and pleaded while he bit down hard on his lower lip. At that very sight, I thought I couldn't wait any longer either and was about to just forgo lubrication when the worst possible thing could have happened. Out of the blue, from my jacket, which was somewhere on the floor, a ring sounded.

"God damnit," I snarled. Not a lot of people called my phone and when they did it was usually pretty important.

"No," Vincent begged, "don't answer."

He knew I had to, though. It made things a lot harder for me when I had to pull away and slide off of the bed. Reluctantly, the gunman sat back, waiting against the headboard while I searched for my jacket. It was at the foot of the mattress and still ringing when I finally found it. "Yeah, what is it?" I griped, clearly out of breath from my previous engagement.

"Cid, it's Cloud."

_NO! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Anything but this!_

Returning to the bed with phone in hand, I sat on the edge. Vincent snuck up from behind and began to teasingly kiss the nape of my neck.

"I'm sorry to call you out of the blue like this, but––" The spiky blond paused for a brief moment, but I wasn't listening. It wasn't until he asked: "is this a bad time?" when I realized I was trying hard not to sound busy, and failed miserably.

"Yeah," I replied in an uncouth tone. "Sort of."

From behind, the gunner wrapped an arm around my waist and ran his hand up the length of my thigh. So, so close. He was doing it on purpose now. He was trying to make me cry out or something and I was damn close to it. I should've just tossed the phone on the floor and returned to business.

"Well I need your help out here."

"Out here? Where is here?"

"Edge. We're having some problems…"

He was at my ear now; tongue lightly swirling around the lobe. I felt something shudder thought my body, an indescribably amazing desire that I could barely keep inside. But still, I had to answer…

"…Problems?"

"Yeah," Cloud paused. I could hear shouting in the background. "The monsters have breeched one of the barricades."

Oh fuck. This was not good at all. Especially now. Why now?

Instead of playing into my lover's game––as I had hoped the call wouldn't have been so important––I shot Vincent a troubled glance and he quickly got the idea that something was not right. "Okay," I sighed. "Where are you?"

"In the North, but I want you to check on Tifa."

"Sure."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. And Cid, please take care of her."

"Will do."

The line went dead immediately after and I tossed the phone on the mattress behind Vincent. "What happened?" he asked, still leaning over my back but sadly having stopped his games.

"That was Cloud," I said. "The monsters got into the city…"

He, too, was surprised, as I had been, as I figured Cloud when he got the news. But our private time together would have to wait.

- -


	6. Chapter 6

**- - **

**Hidden Truth**

- -

Tifa Lockhart did not frighten easily. In truth, she was usually considered a rather enduring young woman. But when the front door to her bar abruptly flew open, cracking hard against the wall behind it, and Cid and Vincent strode in, she found herself uncertain of just how to take their loud and unexpected arrival.

"What's wrong?" she asked slowly, warily rising from her chair.

They both approached the fighter and met half way. "I just got a call from Cloud. He said that some monsters have made their way into the city; told us to check on you guys…"

"What!?" she yelped, so loudly that it startled the kids who had come downstairs to see what all of the ruckus was about.

"Perhaps we should not speak about this here?" Vincent suggested.

A good idea, though it was much too late.

"Tifa?" Marlene called out. "What's wrong?" Even if the children did not know why the two men had come so unexpectedly, they weren't exactly enthusiastic to see them. It couldn't have been more obvious.

"There are just some problems in the city," the brunette explained, coming to her level. "But Cloud is out there taking care of it right now." Her efforts seemed to be useless though, as neither of them were buying it––especially Denzel. "You should go back upstairs, and–" before she could finish, the young boy charged for the front door and burst out onto the street. He had overheard their conversation and was furious about the fact that they would not tell him the truth. "_Denzel!_" Tifa shouted, but Vincent was outside and chasing after the boy before she could.

He made it nearly half way down the street when the dark haired man caught up with the young boy before he could get any farther. It was much too dangerous, even for a man of his dexterity, to be out there roaming the streets. Heaven only knew what risks lurked in the shadows.

"I want to see Cloud!" Denzel cried.

"It's too dangerous," the gunman explained with a firm yet gentle grasp on the boy's shoulder. "He said he would come as soon as he could." Though his efforts went unheard, it seemed that young boy did not care. He was determined to find the General.

"Let go of me!"

At that point, Vincent had no choice but to carry Denzel back to the bar. Even if the boy was struggling against him, it was the only thing he could do to ensure his safe return.

"Oh my God," Tifa exhaled. She had been holding her breath the whole time; so sure that something would go wrong. The fighter came to her knees once Vincent set him on the ground, but the boy bolted upstairs before Tifa could say anything more. He'd always been this way; always keeping his feelings to himself. It was hard enough to get him to open up and talk about things, mainly when it dealt with Cloud, though his reaction was completely understandable. So Marlene took it upon herself to comfort the young boy, as they had been friends since the moment he came to live with them. She knew well that they needed to discuss things in private and left Cid, Vincent and Tifa on their own.

Once the two kids were upstairs, Tifa took a seat at one of the tables and glanced up at the pilot. "Did Cloud say anything else?"

"No."

The only news she had and it wasn't very assuring. All Tifa could do was sit and wait.

"I can't believe this is happening," she murmured aloud. "Why didn't he just call me in the first place?"

The pilot didn't know what to say; absolutely no idea and couldn't offer any logical reason or support. Most of the time, he couldn't even understand what Cloud was thinking. And everyone knew it was a lost cause trying to figure that out

_"Get out of here!" _an officer shouted at the man holding the camera. He raised his hands as if to cover the scene unfolding before them. A brigade of soldiers hustled in order down the street through the background. This was big.

_"I don't know very many details," _the field reporter explained,_ "But they're not letting us passed a certain point. They're telling everyone to get inside, somewhere off the streets. Absolutely no one should be out wandering around unless it is military or government personnel _only."

No sign of the General so far. They'd only captured footage of vehicles passing by and even then they continued to demand that the cameras be shut off. _Where are you, Cloud_? Tifa wondered to herself as she stared at the chaos developing on the screen. It was like the meteor crisis all over again; people running through the streets to get indoors; the military trying their best to keep the peace­­––only she wasn't there with him. It seemed pointless sitting around doing nothing, but their patience paid off as anticipated.

The bar door swung wide open an hour after Cid and Vincent arrived and Cloud stepped in. In frenzy, Tifa shot up from her seat to rush him, nearly knocking them both over as she jumped into his arms. "Where the hell've you been!?" she cried.

Cloud caught his balance before answering and lowered her back to the floor. "I'm sorry." He was obviously out of breath and absolutely filthy from whatever he'd been up to. "We had to fix the barricade and they're still searching for some of the monsters that got in."

As if to authenticate the statement, a helicopter sounded in the distance overhead. They'd taken to the skies to clean up this mess.

"Why didn't you call? I was so worried when Cid and Vincent showed up," the fighter explained. "Even Denzel got upset."

"Where is he?"

"Upstairs. He wanted to see you so he ran outside and Vincent had to chase after him." Surprised by this, Cloud glanced up at the gunman who returned the look with confirmation. _This is all my fault_. But his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice.

"_Cloud!_" Marlene shouted and barreled towards him. The young girl latched onto his leg, squeezing tightly as if she'd never let go. But unlike the girl, Denzel stood unwaveringly at the foot of the stairs, staring.

The ex-SOLDIER realized how upset he must've been and made his way over to the young boy. An apology was in order on Cloud's part. If he could've been here sooner, then perhaps things wouldn't seem so out of control. But there wasn't much he could do to make up for it. And there was still some business to be taken care of.

After a quick embrace to assure that everything would be alright, Cloud stood from his knees to face them again. "I want you to get the kids out of the city, Tifa."

Surprised by this, she asked, "Where will we go?"

"Kalm. Take them to Elmyra's. It'll be for the best, at least until this all panic is cleared up." And the brunette wholeheartedly agreed, until he voiced his next request. "You need to go with them, too."

"What?"

"This isn't for sure, but we may have to evacuate the city somehow if the problem gets worse. That or enforce some sort of lock down. I don't know what's going to happen from this point on, but I'd like it if you guys weren't here if that happens."

"But Cloud, I can't just _leave_. I want to help you!"

"Tifa, please, listen to me."

"But––"

"_No_."

The fighter immediately ceased to speak and glared at him––not out of resentment––but reluctance. She knew how much he cared for her, and the only thing he was trying to do was make sure she was safe.

"Okay," Tifa nodded and glanced behind him at the kids, "We'll go to Kalm."

A weight seemed to lift from his shoulders. Tifa could read him like it was written all over his face. Even if she didn't completely agree with his request, she would oblige and do whatever it took to make sure she was the last thing he had to worry about.

Cloud then turned to Cid who was watching them, waiting for his turn. "Would you be willing to take them there? I'm not sure how safe it would be to get out of here by land…"

"Sure," the pilot replied.

"Thank you, Cid. We'll leave as soon as you guys are ready."

From behind, Marlene ran up to Cloud, itching with one more question, "Are you coming with us?"

"I'm sorry. I can't. I have to stay here."

"But Cloud…"

"Marlene, I promise I will come after everything is settled. You've got to go with Tifa, though. She'll take care of you." It was obvious how heartbroken she was, standing there nearly on the verge of tears. But Marlene held it together; she was so determined to seem mature about the situation. It was understandable this time around, why Cloud couldn't join them. Five years ago during the Meteor crisis was another story. But now it all made sense. "Come on," he said, fully intent on not wasting any more time. "Let's go."

- -

Everyone made it to the airship without incident, and Cid hurried inside to get things started. Cloud, on the other hand, stayed with Tifa, the kids and Vincent on the loading dock. They didn't want to leave until the last second, especially a certain fighter. Off in a more private area where they could speak, Tifa expressed her concerns yet again, hoping that maybe Cloud would change his mind. It was worth a try, after all.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, arms wrapped around the back of his neck. He held her close to his body, squeezing her ever so slightly as if he _wasn't_ certain.

"Yeah," the spiky blond replied. "If something were to happen to you or the kids, Tifa…"

But the fighter merely nodded and cut him short. "I know, Cloud, I know." She let out a heavy sigh then dropped her gazed to the zipper on his navy blue shirt. "Please keep in contact with us, though, okay? I don't want to go another day not knowing what's going on––especially during a time like this."

"I promise." He leaned forward to claim her lips in a rather avid kiss. Neither of them wanted to pull away, knowing full well what would come next. But before they could, Cid reappeared from the bowels of the ship and marched over to the gunman.

"Ship's ready," he said, cigarette hanging loosely between his lips.

It was then that Vincent stepped forward. "Perhaps I should stay and help?" Although they hadn't been at the ship for very long, it seemed that would be the best plan of action.

The pilot's eyes shot open wide at the suggestion. Where had this come from? He wanted so badly to shout for everyone to hear, but knew that if he made a big deal about it, that would set them up for some massive confusion. Instead, he eyed Vincent as if to ask him what this was all about, but the gunman simply waited for a reply from the General.

"I guess," Cloud shrugged. "We could use all the help we can get down here. If I had Vincent with me, it would make a big difference."

"Are you sure about this, Vince?" Cid asked, trying his best to make the question sound inconspicuous. However, the gunman did not offer a reply. It was merely a matter of how he could lend his assistance. Joining the pilot on the way to Kalm would be somewhat pointless if his presence in the city was needed. Furthermore, not only was Vincent concerned about the emergency at hand, but the fact that Cloud had been severely injured just hours before did not ease any worry that something might go wrong as a result.

In replacement of a quick reply, the gunman excused himself and Cid to lead them to a far enough distance where no one could hear anything over the roar of the rockets. "My help is needed here."

"I know," the pilot whined, "But what if something happens?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. It's Cloud I'm not sure of."

There was no way he could argue with that, and the more they stood chattering with each other, the more skeptical everyone became. So without further hesitation, they rushed back to join them.

"Is everything okay?" Cloud asked, gently stroking the top of Marlene's hair. She had clung herself to his leg while the pilot and the gunman took a moment.

"Yeah," Cid sighed. "Vince is gonna stay here. I'll get everyone to Kalm."

"Then it's settled," the spiky blond said. Both men stepped off of the platform and moved to a safe distance so they could watch as the airship departed. Within moments, the Sierra was no longer visible in the overcast skies. They were on their way to safety.

Not long after the ship disappeared is when Cloud and Vincent headed back to the provisional headquarters. They had come in a military-issued truck which the General decided to use for the specific situation.

As they passed by each building, the city became more noticeably deserted. It felt like a ghost town of sorts; with every window shut and each drape drawn. Silence was nothing compared to the lack of voices, scuffling and vehicles that once beset the bustling metropolis. There was simply no way to describe it. But they continued carefully on their way despite.

After some time had passed, as they rounded a corner onto one of the more major streets, a completely difference scene unraveled before them. What was once a seemingly abandoned city was now filled with flashing lights, scrambling individuals and utter chaos. Practically half of the defense forces occupied one corner of Edge, as well as the skies as helicopters flew noisily overhead.

Cloud pulled the truck up to a point just beyond the entrances and hopped out, as did Vincent.

"General, sir!" a soldier saluted him.

"At ease," Cloud replied. "What's the status?"

"Our ground troops are almost ready to disperse, sir. The choppers have been doing most of the work."

The General glanced over his shoulder briefly and then back at the other man. "Have there been any reports yet?"

"Yes, sir. In fact, just a few minutes ago a woman called in to report a sighting. She informed us that two of the creatures were roaming around her backyard, as well as the neighbors. She also said that there were some screams coming from the house behind her; said it sounded like a child."

Surprised and concerned by this, Cloud repeated as if he hadn't heard the man right, "A child? Do we know who lives back there?"

"She says it's a young mother and her daughter, but I didn't get an age, sir. The woman had called into the police to report this in the beginning, and said that the girl's mother was taken into their custody."

"Why?"

"The mother was unable to get home in time and the police forced her to come with them since she was too far away, but she's not sure how her daughter ended up alone. It's been about an hour, sir."

Frowning, Cloud racked his brain to think of the best plan of attack. There was no way the cops were going to let the mother loose to reunite with her child, or even go out there themselves. No, this was a job for SOLDIER, and no one else. However, before the General could make a decision, Hughes ran up from behind to greet them.

"Cloud! How did things go at the bar?" the brunet asked. He flashed a smile at Vincent; happy to see that the gunman decided to lend a hand.

"Good. They're on their way to Kalm right now, but we've got another situation."

"I know. I've rounded up a couple of soldiers should you care for their assistance."

The spiky blond nodded and dismissed his subordinate to discuss the state of affairs in more detail. "I want to keep this as light as possible; bring two, maybe three of them. Vincent and I will handle the rest."

"You got it," Hughes replied.

Cloud barely had time to nod as he was running back to the truck they had just arrived in. It took no more than a minute or so to get everyone loaded and ready. As the truck pulled away, the Lieutenant General stood watching, hoping that this time they would be spared.

- -

Traveling back into the absolute silence was quite an experience, though Cloud and Vincent had somehow gotten use to it. Many times on their quest to stop Sephiroth, did the gang come across some of the most eerie and terrifying situations. And the soldiers seem to adapt to it rather easily as well. There was no time for panic; they had a job to do.

Parking the truck just a block away from the reported sighting, Cloud, Vincent and the two soldiers gathered around the back to set their mission straight. In a low yet audible murmur, the General began to describe his plan. "I want to split up on this one," he said. As expected in response, they were surprised, but no one questioned the plan. "We need to search the vicinity and make sure we know where these monsters are. I think it would be best if you two went with Vincent, then I can look for the kid. The most important thing you need to remember is that Vincent is in charge. You take your orders from him unless I'm around. Got that?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Now if you don't turn up with anything soon, I want to rendezvous on the next street over in front of the house. If anything should happen, you come straight over; I'll do the same." It seemed that all three of them were ready and waiting––no questions, no protestations––to get out there. The only thing left they had to do was set out.

Even having been deployed in the hours of daylight, the city seemed to be blanketed by a shroud of darkness. The grey skies threatened a cold rain and perhaps even a light snow, but that was the least of their worries. In front of the house where the report had been made, Cloud headed for the right, while Vincent and the two soldiers headed left. There, he found nothing but a row of trees that cast an eerie shadow on the trail.

To the General's left was a chain-linked fence that ran at least forty feet ahead of him; joined by yet another enclosure–most likely shared with the neighbors. The yard was plagued with a thick carpet of grass that looked as if it hadn't been cut in years, and several random toys lay scattered about. He disregarded them, and hopped over the fence on his way towards the other house.

In the distance, Cloud spotted, what looked like, a pile of discarded lumber and pipes sitting up against the fence. Why it caught his attention was beyond him. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to at least check it out.

Bounding over the neighboring fence, the spiky blond readied himself to whip out his sword at any given moment. He was willingly stepping into dangerous territory, but would _not_ be caught off guard again. Without any trouble, the General made it safely to his first destination. It seemed ordinary enough; like any haphazard pile of junk, but what came from _inside_ was the connection between instinct and logic. If he had heard right, the sound of a sob emitted from what was most likely a small child.

"Hey," Cloud said, leaning down to get a better look through a small gap. He could see now that there was a young girl––no older than five, maybe six years old––sitting with her legs pulled up to her knees, under the pile of ruin. "It's alright."

Mustering up what courage she had, in a meek voice, the young girl asked, "Are they gone?"

"The monsters?" Cloud wondered, making sure that he was on the same page as her. She simply nodded and hugged herself even tighter. "I don't think so, but I'm here to take care of it. Can you tell me a few things?" Another nod and the blond continued. "Do you live in this house right here?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't get inside. They chased me but I got away, so I hid."

"How long have you been in here?"

"…A long time."

"Did they hurt you at all?"

"No." Her voice was trembling; _she_ was trembling and probably freezing to death in this chilly weather.

"Do you have a key to get inside the house?" The little girl shook her head, no doubt disappointed that she couldn't help more. But before Cloud could ask anything else, the sound of gunshots rang throughout the neighborhood. They must have found the monsters. "Okay," the General began. "I want you to listen to me. You need to come out of there and we're going to run inside the house."

Never once questioning his request, the young girl began to slowly but surely crawl out of the pile. She was somewhat dirty from sitting on the mud, but other than that, she seemed to be just fine. Then in one swift move, Cloud picked her up, though minding the injured side of his torso. They made it to the back porch safely, and the blond set her down for a brief moment. He would have to find some way to get inside. It seemed his only choice was to break the windowpane in the door. Shoving his elbow into the glass would have to do; it shattered noisily onto the kitchen floor, but did the trick. Within seconds, they were inside and running through the house to find her a safe spot.

"Where is your room?" Cloud asked.

"Upstairs," she replied, "On the left."

He made it up the stairwell and hung a left as instructed; stepping into her room to find it was just as empty as the rest of the house. The General then came down to her level and said, "I need you to do me one last favor, okay?"

_Nod_.

"I need you to hide in your closet just for a little while, until I come back. Can you do that for me?" She seemed rather weary about it, but settled once she embraced a teddy bear that sat on her bed. Inside and soon to be hidden by folding doors, the young girl sat in the shadows of her closet and stared Cloud straight in the eyes. "Do not leave this room until I come back to get you, alright?"

Another reassuring nod and the spiky blond felt comfortable enough to know that she was going to comply. He then shut the doors; still assuring her that he would return, but his voice faded once he made it downstairs and outside the front door.

- -

The street boomed with gunfire incessantly, once Cloud made his way outside. It was a relief to see that Vincent was upright and uninjured, but he couldn't say the same for the two soldiers that had tagged along. At the instant the gunman had a free moment, they both met at a safe distance away from the last remaining monster. "What happened?" he asked.

"We were ambushed," Vincent replied. "One of your men was caught by surprise and didn't make it out of the way in time." He finished reloading the gun and fired dead ahead to finalize the deal. All of the monsters had disappeared; returned back to wherever it was they'd come from. "Did you find the girl?" They made their way over to the grass as Cloud nodded in reply, where one soldier was attending to his companion.

"Do you think you can walk?" Cloud asked, seeing as how the young man's injury did not look life-threatening.

"I'm not sure," he replied, choking over his words; face contorting into an expression filled with pain.

"Help him up," the General ordered. "Get back to the truck immediately. Vincent, would you mind giving them a hand?"

Nodding, the gunner watched as Cloud reentered the house and then tended to the wounded soldier.

As anticipated, the spiky blond appeared from out of the shadows of the house. With his sword on his back and the young girl in his arms, the ex-SOLDIER rushed to the truck and hopped in to find them ready and waiting. Though their next order of business was to simply get the girl back to her mother, it seemed like only the beginning––the beginning of something much larger to come.

- -


	7. Chapter 7

- -

**Truth Revealed**

- -

They settled in a makeshift tent specifically set up for the General. Though not as swanky as his office or living quarters, it was sufficient for the location. Inside, Cloud sat on a standard issued ShinRa cot to the constricting boots from his tired feet. They were killing him, _throbbing_, but not anywhere near as bad as his previous injury. Although the wound was healing much faster than any normal humans would, it still pained him enough to drain most of his energy.

The gunman had taken notice to this once the General returned with the little girl; the way that Cloud flinched every now and then as she clung to his body; or when she rested her weary head against his chest. He never once tried to pull her away or shift into a different position. It seemed that the blond would rather know that she was safe and comfortable, than suffer slightly less from what was most likely excruciating pain.

Vincent ignored it for the moment, however, as he planned on mentioning something to Cloud once they returned. At first glance, the General's appearance was enough to convince the ex-Turk that perhaps it would be best to wait. He sported dark circles under his eyes, a filthy coat of sweat and dirt stuck to his skin and his hair was probably riddled with other various muck. What waited _under_ his clothing, though, was a different story. Without much concern for Vincent's presence, Cloud removed his shirt to reveal bloodied gauze wrapped around his torso. It was shocking initially, but only assured the gunner of his previous thoughts. Now was the best time.

"You've not slept for quite a while," Vincent began in a nonchalant tone. "Perhaps you should let someone else handle the situation?"

As expected, the spiky blond sighed heavily but continued with the seemingly agonizing task of renewing the gauze. "Thanks for your concern, but I'd rather not."

It seemed now, to make any sort of indentation in his mind that the ex-Turk would have to put up a fight. "I understand," he replied. "It was merely a suggestion. You've been in pain since before we left."

Cloud found himself a bit irritated with the way the gunman was proving him wrong, but he wasn't going to give up that easily. "The pain…is bearable. I'm more worried about the city."

"There isn't much you can do unless you plan on taking this entire task yourself. Despite whether or not you want to help, you won't be able to if you continue like this." It was then that Vincent rose from his seat and headed for the door. The General remained silent, though; the look on his face was enough to let the dark-haired man know that he had won.

Defeated, but thankful, Cloud slumped over onto the cot and found that––at the very moment he shut his eyes––sleep was not as far off as it seemed.

Vincent, on the other hand, elatedly strolled out of the tent and ran into a familiar face. "Hey!" the brunet called out. Hughes jogged over to the gunman, matching his leisurely stride. "I wanted to thank you for your help today. We really needed it."

"It was not a problem."

"Have you seen Cloud?"

"Yes. He's resting," the gunman replied.

Surprised by this, and a bit envious for that matter, Hughes stopped in his tracks to glare at Vincent suspiciously. "Really?"

"I've managed to convince the General that he will not be helping anyone unless he helps himself first."

The Lieutenant General was in awe, but admired the gunman even more for his incredible ability to persuade. "You must be one smooth talker, convincing Cloud like that."

"I suppose he was much too overwhelmed with fatigue to put up a fight."

"Yeah," Hughes chuckled, "that'll do it for ya." Not far off from where they met up, is where the brunet reached his destination. He had been on his way somewhere beforehand, and the gunman simply followed. Their conversation remained brief but direct, though the Lieutenant General had enough work on his plate already. He never managed to finish it either, once a soldier caught his attention.

"Lieutenant General, sir," the Captain saluted. "I've got an airship requesting permission to land. But…he was being rather _rude_about it and asked to speak with you…"

Somewhat confused by this, Hughes glanced over his shoulder at Vincent who seemed to know exactly who it was. "What is his name?"

"Cid Highwind, sir."

_Of course, who else could it be?_

"Well what're you still doing here? Let him in!"

- -

Shooting up from the cot in a frantic motion, Cloud panted heavily and glanced around the room as if desperately searching for someone. In his attempt to do so, the blond realized that no one was there. Not even Vincent. The gunman must have wandered off somewhere after he fell asleep. But Cloud barely even remembered Vincent having left in the first place. Either way, that was the least of his worries. His slumber had not been as peaceful as first anticipated. The dreams and memories that plagued his mind remained ever present; one of the many things that the blond absolutely could not comprehend.

Day in and day out, no matter what duty he was serving at the time, Cloud always wondered why they felt so _real_; why he could have sworn he was reliving the moment. He could feel Zack's gentle touch and the velvet of his soothing voice. It was pure and utter torture.

But before the spiky blond had any more of a chance to relive the vividness of his subconscious, his PHS went off. It buzzed noisily on the small stand to his right and nearly fell to the floor. He grabbed the phone before it could hit, answering in a groggy yet intelligible tone.

"…Yes?"

"General, sir. The president would like to speak with you at ShinRa HQ."

"Alright, thank you."

Cloud pushed himself upright and grabbed a new, clean shirt. There was no time to reminisce, no time ever.

- -

_**Cloud**_

I spent most of the way over wondering just exactly what Reeve wanted to speak with me about. There wasn't really anything too important I could think of, that couldn't wait to be said later. But since our mission in the city had gone so well, I figured he might want to praise our hard work. Either way, I would find out soon enough; however, I had no idea where he was, so I headed for the front desk to double-check. "He's in your office," the secretary said, even before I made it to the desk. I gave her a nod in thanks and then headed for the elevators. _Why the hell was he in _my_ office?_

When I came to the door, I barely stepped inside when Reeve turned to face me as he heard my entrance. "Ah, Cloud," he smiled.

"You wanted to see me?" I asked, staying in the doorway. He approached me and went for the hall before replying.

"Yes, but let's take a walk." _This must be important_, I thought, stepping aside to let him pass. I followed quickly behind him but rushed to his side before he could get very far. It was then that Reeve continued. "How are things going so far?"

"Well right now we have the perimeter the entrance point secured, and all reported monsters have been dealt with."

He flashed me a confident smirk and said, "I heard you rescused a little girl."

"Yeah…"

There was a brief moment of silence between us before Reeve said anything more. But for some reason, I couldn't shake the fact that there was something else. "You've done a good job, Cloud. I doubt anyone could have done any better." He hadn't called me here just for that. There was no way.

"…Is that why you wanted to see me?"

As I suspected, the dark haired man hesitated for a moment while we strolled down the hall. He seemed to be searching for something; the right way to approach whatever it was he had to say. But what worried me the most is the fact that Reeve usually never acted this way. A normally rather articulate man, poised and confident about his words, Reeve struggled this time. Maybe I was right to be concerned…

We stepped into the elevators before he said anything more, and pressed the button labeled "B".

"Yes, actually, there is something else." I remained silent, urging him to continue. "There is something that I need to tell you, that you may have a hard time dealing with. Something I wish could have…come about in a different way…"

The tone of his voice was enough to tell me that this wasn't exactly positive news. And it alarmed me more than I would have liked. "What is it?" I asked.

We passed floor 35...34...33... "Some time ago––about six years––there was a project that Rufus presented to the science and research department as a means to keep an incident under wraps. It was kept top-secret to everyone but a handful of members, and is still widely unheard of among ShinRa employee's to this day. Not very many more people know much about the details."

"So…you didn't know about it until a few years ago?"

"Actually, a little less, which happened to be the day the project was declared a success. I was called in early morning and informed of the situation."

Eyeing him skeptically, I noticed that we had reached the 15th floor and still descending. "Then what does this particular project have to do with me?"

"Well, six years ago a young man was killed as a result of an order led out by Rufus. He was shot a numerous amount of times, killed and left for dead." As Reeve continued, the story began to sound more oddly familiar, but I tried to convince myself that it could have been anyone. _The Turks assassinated a lot of people…right? _"Sometime following the incident, there was a dispute between sides as to who should have taken the blame for disobeying primary orders. At first, there were to be no deaths; however, the situation changed due to a falter on the military's part; they were unable to capture him the first time. The subject was not supposed to be killed, but in order to clean up the mess, instructions changed. A new plan was issued, which led to his assassination, along with the retrieval of this young man."

_No,_ I told myself, even mentally laughing the thought of it off. _It can't be. _But when I heard those next words…

"…Who just so happened to be accompanied by a ShinRa trooper."

Before I could even grasp where we had ended up––in the basement heading down a long, white corridor––Reeve stopped in his tracks in front of a door labeled "015". I wanted to ask him more; ask him who this man was and what had happened to him, but my throat would not allow it. It felt constricted, denying me of my natural right to simply _breathe. _However, when the dark haired man began to open the door, I knew that all of my questions would be answered in this very room.

_//… "I thought of a way out of here, Cloud. Isn't that great? We're gonna be free soon––you and me. Just wait. I promise I'll take care of you…//_

- -

A voice––so familiar yet not.

It spoke, drowned out by confusion and oblivion. Between the present and past, the blond suffered a difficult struggle to return to reality. His breathing had gone ragged and uneven; his body trembled involuntarily. Perhaps so bad that it scared the living day lights out of the man who occupied the room. Cloud stood in front of this familiar face, but couldn't differentiate between whether he was dreaming. It felt like every other dream, but not. There was something there; something he couldn't quite put his finger on that managed to convince him otherwise. Deep down inside, this wasn't a dream.

"…oud? …_Cloud_?" Eventually, the voice became all too clear for the blond's comfort. And within a split second, a flicker of something realswitched on in the deepest depths of his mind. This was everything he had ever hoped for, to simply see that face again; hear that voice. But now there was more. He could touch him; feel and smell him.

Without warning, the spiky blond embraced the other man into a desperate hug. Though somewhat surprised and concerned by it, Zack disregarded his alarm to return the gesture. They stayed that way for quite some time; both men simply holding one another after having been apart for so long. And as unusual as it was considering their previous connection, it felt nothing short of _right._

"Hey," the dark haired man whispered. He pulled away for the briefest of moments, but Cloud never once lifted his head. "It's okay," Zack said, gently stroking his back.

In a meek, quivering voice, the blond replied with, "This can't be real." His grip tightened around the SOLDIER's waist, fists tugging at navy blue shirt material.

"I know."

"No," Cloud choked and finally looked up. His eyes were glazed over with a shining film of tears, but the General was not crying. And in that very moment, Zack could have sworn he saw the vulnerable, young teen that Cloud once was. "No, I saw what they did to you. You were––"

"––I know," Zack interrupted. "Not quite, I guess, maybe only for a little while. But they didn't tell me much, so I can't really say."

After what seemed like forever, the two men pulled apart. A bit reluctant on Cloud's part, he took a seat on one of the chairs, completely overwhelmed by the rush of nearly every emotion one could possibly feel.

"This is a dream," the blond insisted. "It has to be."

The dark haired man let out a soft chuckle, and rubbed the back of his head. "You're real hell bent on proving me wrong, aren't you?"

"It's just…doesn't make any sense." He wasn't even listening. However, before Cloud had any more of a chance to mumble to himself, Zack approached the younger man and bent down to look him straight in the eyes.

"Cloud, I don't blame you. You have every right to feel this way. But I can assure you that this is real."

Having been mumbling, trying desperately to convince himself that this was merely a figment of his imagination, the General sat silently, stiff in his chair and stared straight into those eyes. They looked so certain; filled with enough conviction that there was absolutely no way Cloud could deny it.

Although in an abrupt and shocking manner, Zack had returned.

The spiky blond then dropped his gaze, though he could see––out of his peripherals––the other man stand upright. Zack crossed his arms as he watched the younger man try to speak, but fail. Cloud's mouth was open, ready to spew a million things, yet nothing came out. The feeling, though somewhat surreal, was just like old times. And Zack knew that they would have one hell of a time catching up.


	8. Chapter 8

- -

**One Time Around**

**- - **

Bright and early was when Michelle liked to get to work. Typically the first one there, she used it to her advantage to revel in the peace and quiet. Although the environment was normally pretty calm; this was authentic. After the coffee maker was set and doing its job and the lights were warming up, Michelle headed for her desk in the front where she manned the entire office. She didn't bother sitting down since there were still a few more things to be done. But something caught her eye that just didn't seem right.

The power button to her computer's monitor had been blinking, though she distinctly remembered having turned it off the night before. "That's odd," Michelle mumbled to herself and pressed the button to turn it on. Once the monitor powered up, she realized that, not only was that on, but the entire computer was still running as well. "What the…" Now completely distracted by trying to figure out exactly why that was, the blonde sat down in her chair and began to check a few principal steps. Only one program had been minimized and was awaiting user access. Unfortunately, what she discovered next did not do much for her concern. In the lower right hand corner of the box, she read that the date and time in which the program had been accessed last was after everyone had left the office.

"Thursday 12:52 AM."

Without wasting much time wondering just who could have been accessing her computer, Michelle leaned over to snatch the phone off its cradle. If this was any indication of a possible security breech, she would have to report it immediately.

- -

**_Cid_**

At long–fucking–last, we had our chance. Just a few hours ago and I had been on the ship coming back to the city. But there I was standing at the foot of the bed, staring hungrily at the man laying stark raving naked on the sheets in front of me, and I wasted no time jumping in with him. This was the first time in a few days that we'd had any privacy. God only knew I couldn't wait to get down to business. And by the looks of it, neither could he.

"Did you miss me?" I purred. Vincent just smirked as he snaked a hand around the back of my neck, pulling me down for a kiss. It felt amazing, being able to touch him; to feel his warmth. With the rest of the gang around, it was difficult to do something as simple as a touch. So I would relish in it. We managed to squeeze in a few ardent, wet kisses and tantalizing caresses before the inevitable occurred. It wasn't my phone at first, but his. "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me," I groaned, still running my hands over his bare skin. We continued that way for a few rings, completely ignoring the phone until it stopped. Then after another minute had passed, I figured whoever was calling didn't have anything too important to say. Boy was I wrong. The next time that ring went off it was _my_ PHS. I didn't have enough time to answer since I was too busy trying to keep my cool. It was Vincent who picked up.

"Yes?" He came off sounding a lot calmer than I would have, so it was probably best that he answered anyway.

_"…Vincent?"_

I guess he recognized the voice, but by some hesitation, handed the phone to me. He lipped the name _Yuffie_ as I took it from him. What the hell was she calling us for? "Yeah, whaddaya want?"

"Jeeze," the young girl scoffed, "You haven't changed a bit; have you old man?"

"What's it to ya?" I shot back, not exactly in the mood to argue with her. She insisted, though…

"…Wait a minute. Why did Vincent answer _your_ phone?"

"You didn't call to ask me about that, you little brat, now get on with it or I'm hangin' up!"

I figured she got the point when she let out an irritable sigh. "Fine. It's just that I've been hearing about what happened in the city on the news. So I tried to reach Cloud, but I couldn't. And Tifa wasn't answering at the bar."

"No shit. She's in Kalm."

"Actually, I got a hold of Barret and he told me she left a few hours after you dropped her off."

"Wait a minute." I frowned, sitting up. "What?"

"Yeah; she's fine though. I finally talked to her. She says she was heading back to the city."

It wasn't that I was concerned about Tifa leaving; at least the kids were there, which meant my efforts to fly them to Kalm weren't entirely wasted, but there was something she said that struck me as odd. "…So why would you need to talk to Cloud?"

"Well that's the thing. I've been wandering around for a while and I ended up in Cosmo Canyon. Nanaki let me stay here, but he told me some things that I think Cloud might want to hear."

"And you're wondering if I can get a hold of him for you…"

"Would you!?" she asked cheerfully. "We're actually on our way right now. We'll be in the city in a few hours."

Before I could say anything else, the little snot hung up on me. Except for this time, the situation didn't sound like much of an emergency. So I tossed the phone aside and turned to face Vincent once again. "What did she want?" he asked, watching curiously as I made myself more comfortable.

"Nothing," I replied, quickly and forcefully claiming his lips with mine. We fell onto the mattress with a _thud_, returning to where we had left off. There was no way in hell I was going to let this chance pass by.

- -

**_Cloud_**

After taking my first real break besides an hour or two of sleep, Zack and I set aside some time where we could have the privacy to catch up.

_//…"General Cloud Strife," the raven-haired man chuckled. "You have no idea how weird that sounds to me."…//_

….

_//…"I'm proud of you."…//_

All this time, I thought that maybe I was beginning to come to terms with this death now that some time had passed. However, as unexpected and shocking of a miracle his return had been, I wasn't entirely sure of how to feel.

I was happy, of course––elated, even. Then again, there were other lingering feelings that I couldn't deny. Amongst them boiled an anger I'd never truly addressed. At whom, though, was an entirely different subject as, over the years, it seemed too unimportant to place the blame on someone specific.

Unfortunately, we couldn't talk forever as there were more important issues that needed to be dealt with, like finding him a place to stay. So after quite a bit of arguing on both of our parts (funny how naturally it came), Zack finally agreed to take my suggestion and stay at the bar. I wasn't too worried at the moment about his safety, knowing that he was more than capable of taking care of himself. Plus the fact that no one would be there.

We arrived on my bike, which Zack, somehow, convinced me to let him drive. I ended up on the back, naturally, holding tightly around his waist since he decided to test its speed capabilities. He even nearly missed clipping a street sign, but quickly got the hang of it once again. It _had_ been a while since the last time Zack was on a bike, so I couldn't blame him. What mattered was that we arrived in one piece.

He pulled up out front and as I caught a glance at the bar, I noticed something a bit off. One of the lights was from inside was on, but that couldn't be right. I quickly turned to Zack to tell him I was going to open everything up, and rushed inside to double check my sneaking suspicion. As if I had been expecting it, there, as I came in through the doorway, was Tifa descending the stairs. She flashed me a look, which I could only guess was dismay, but did not say anything. And instead of yelling at her for disregarding my plea, I rushed over to pull her into a tight embrace.

"Tifa," I murmured with my face in her hair. She held a firm grasp around my waist, but didn't say a thing. "_What're you doing here_?" The concern in my voice was apparent––I wanted her to know.

"I'm so sorry, Cloud," she sobbed. "I just couldn't stay there."

And then a wave of guilt washed over me. Yes I had been demanding about her safety, but I had to admit that I had underestimated her capabilities. "Yeah," I whispered and placed a kiss on her forehead. We didn't pull apart until the door opened from behind. Ironically enough, I had completely forgotten about Zack, and didn't realize it until I saw the look on Tifa's face as she peered over my shoulder. Pure and utter shock is probably the best way to describe the expression. She went deathly pale and even pulled away from my embrace.

"Cloud?" Her voice was trembled. She was having a difficult time breathing. Where would I start? "Please tell me I didn't just see a ghost…"

"Tifa…"

"Oh my God," she gasped, bringing a hand over her mouth. I grabbed her by the arm to steady her frantic movements. Over my shoulder, I excused us briefly and brought her into a room near the stairs. "Is it him, Cloud? Is it really––!?"

I simply nodded in reply.

Completely overwhelmed and unable to articulate her astonishment, it took Tifa a good while to simply comprehend the possibility. Even I was still having a bit of trouble trying to understand it myself as the shock had definitely not yet set in. "But how?" she frowned. "I don't understand. I thought…"

"I know," I said, interrupting her. "It's a long story."

"Well_ tell_ me! I want to know why a dead man is standing in my bar!"

I paused for a moment, unsure of how to even approach a simple explanation all while hoping that Zack couldn't hear our conversation.

"_…Cloud?_" a voice called out. It was Zack's.

I slipped halfway out of the door to say that we'd be out in a second, and then returned to Tifa who was still waiting for an answer. Instead, I took her hands in mine and said, "You've got to do me a huge favor." Tifa angrily pulled away, placing her hands on her hips. I couldn't blame her with the way I was acting, but it was a conversation that would take some time and, at the moment, we didn't have much of that. "Since I figured no one would be here, I offered Zack a place to stay."

"What?" she blinked. "You want him to stay _here_?"

"Yeah; he can sleep in the kids' room or something. It'll only be for a little while until we find a better place for him."

For a moment, all Tifa could do was stare at me. The answer was obvious, but I knew she wasn't concerned about what I was asking. "Alright," she sighed.

Once I got my answer, I quickly headed for the door and rejoined Zack who had taken it upon himself to check out the pictures on the walls. When he heard the door open, he spun around to face me and held up my PHS.

I was being summoned back to work.

- -

The General kept his stride quick down the hall on his way to Reeve's office. But things didn't seem as chaotic as they should have been considering how urgent the call he had received was. Cloud continued rack his brain for an answer, so much so that, as he rounded the corner, he ran into Hughes who had apparently been summoned as well. "What's going on?" the blond asked.

"I'm not too sure. Looks like there's been a breech of security," the Lieutenant General said, though he put their conversation on hold for the moment as they arrived at their destination. Cloud stepped in first to find Reeve stand from behind his desk. But the look that the president wore did nothing to easy any tension.

"You might want to take a seat," the dark-haired man began. Both Hughes and Cloud did just that, while Reeve leaned forward against his desk.

"So?"

"I assume you've been brought up to speed?" Cloud nodded in reply, remaining silent. "Well we're still working on trying to find out who is behind this, but we're not exactly having too much luck. I received word earlier on in the morning that some files from the archives have been stolen. We know it wasn't any of the secretaries running the office, because the security tapes validate their alibi. Everyone had left a couple of hours before it happened."

This didn't make sense at all and Cloud expressed that well with the frown he wore. "What kind of files are we talking about here?"

"Very personal ones," Reeve replied, "The documents that Hojo kept during several experiments––mainly yours and Sephiroth's."

His response took the General by complete surprise. "Then who are the others?"

"Zack's and Vincent's; however, the reason as to _why_ is not clear."

"That's strange," Hughes noted. "Weren't the test that Hojo performed on Vincent different than those on Cloud's?"

"Yes, which is why we're not sure why anyone would want to take his files. I've got a team of men working on figuring that out as we speak."

"But then that means only a handful of individuals are capable of doing such a thing."

"I figured that to be true as well, and it does narrow our options down quite a bit. Of course, I never authorized access to anyone, so this must have been an inside job. Someone within the company must have either done it themselves or handed over the information one would need to retrieve them."

The room fell silent as both Hughes and Reeve struggled to put reason with rhyme. Absolutely nothing made sense; even after so many pieces of the puzzle had been revealed. But they had not noticed how quiet the General had fallen through all the confusion. And it came as somewhat of a surprise when the blond stood up and headed for the door. Hughes turned around in his chair to inquire about the sudden reaction but received no answer.

- -

It hadn't been too long since he left the office, when Cloud eventually stumbled upon an occupied conference room on his aimless stroll. As he quietly approached the door, he heard the familiar voice of a man that touched the wrong buttons. It sickened him to hear such vivacity even after everything they'd been through and found himself disgusted by the laughter that came so easily.

But he hadn't expected that it would bother him _that_ much, so much that he hadn't expected to burst through the doors.

With all eyes on the unexpected visitor, Cloud marched over to Rufus, who stood slowly, cautiously and warily from his chair, confused by this sudden, fierce entrance. He was surprised yet again, when General grabbed him by his shirt collar and slammed him against wall with great force. Everyone gathered around the table simply sat and stared––too shocked to do anything else.

"You bastard," Cloud hissed. "Look at you…"

Rufus struggled to breathe with the General's fists pressing hard against his throat and struggled even more to answer. "What the hell are you doing?" he growled, trying to keep his cool.

"Something I should have done a long time ago."

"_What?_ Are you out of your mind?"

"I ought to kill you right here," Cloud continued, "Right in front of all these people!"

Rufus put a hand on the General's forearm for some leverage, but his effort proved futile. "Let go of me!" Enraged even more, the ex-SOLDIER shoved the older man hard against the wall, eliciting a choke from him. "If you would just _tell_ me!"

"You know damn well why I'm doing this!" Cloud hollered. He paused for a second, trying his best not to kill the blond and continued with, "_Zack!_"

But much to Cloud's surprise, Rufus replied with laughter. He simply stared with wide eyes, unable to find the humor in the situation. "Is that so?"

_How can he be laughing? What the hell is going on here? _"Of course! You continue to toy with our lives like it's nothing! And then you have the nerve to laugh it off!"

A sudden frown washed over Rufus's face. He no longer wore a smirk, but a fierce glare. "You should be happy I did this. Aren't you glad to have your little friend back?"

As impossible as it seemed at the time, Cloud found that his rage was increasing. He could hardly look at the man and control his actions at the same time. For the sake of making even more of a scene than he'd already achieved, Cloud tried his best not to skewer Rufus right then and there. It wasn't much longer, however, when the door opened behind and a handful of security guards poured inside.

Cloud shot a glance over his shoulder and immediately let Rufus go, watching as he staggered to his feet, hands wrapped gingerly around his throat. If he was going to get out of the situation without the use of force, he would have to walk away willingly.

The guards approached him, though lingered near the door as Cloud made his way toward the hall. They did not touch him, but escorted the General outside where he soon caught sight of Reeve who had apparently been informed of the situation.

"What the _hell_ is going on here?" The president hissed as he tried to keep his voice down. Cloud did not reply; he had no intentions to explain himself in front of those people. It was too obvious, which is when Reeve pulled them off into a corner. "Are you going to tell me why you just attacked the former president of ShinRa?"

Still, nothing.

"Damnit, Cloud," Reeve huffed. "I don't even want to know. Just…go home. You're dismissed." Finally a response; the General shot Reeve a glare but was cut off before he could say anything in his defense. "And don't come back until you're summoned."

That was it.

There was nothing more.

Just like that, and everything was out of his hands.


	9. Chapter 9

- -

**Surreptitious**

- -

**_Cloud_**

****

I was pissed, to say the least. Maybe not at anyone in particular, though I had taken my anger out on Rufus (who deserved every bit of what he got). But there was no way that I was just going to go home, as Reeve suggested. I could barely see straight much less handle being around anyone else at the moment. Going home would probably be one of the worst things I could do. So instead of making the situation even complicated than it already was, I did the exact opposite. As fast as the law would let me, I rushed out of the city on my bike and into the wastelands.

It took a while to get where I was going, which I had no idea where that was in the first place, but I had to stop eventually, and found an isolated area just before hitting the mountains out in the east. What was left of Edge appeared as a shadowy silhouette in the distance, no bigger than the tip of my pinky finger. The sun had begun to make its descent as well. However, nightfall was not for another hour or so. I did not plan to head back any time soon either way. I just needed some time to myself; to think.

Perhaps a little bit angrier than the situation called for, my ability to reason had been temporarily hindered; I had journeyed into dangerous territory. For all I knew, there could've been monsters stalking behind my back after everything that'd happened in just a few short days, though that was the least of my worries. In fact, I couldn't have cared less. Just the feel of the blood coursing through my veins as I wrapped my hands tightly around Rufus' neck was still fresh and raw in my mind. I wanted to know why I had settled for doing something so drastic and ultimately unnecessary, but a reason was nowhere to be found––a good one, at least. That rage lingered in my body, aching to be released; my fingers still tensed as if wrapped around that bastard's throat.

If there was any explanation, it would have to be that he was just _there_. And even though Rufus had done me a favor, all of the anger pent up inside had been sparked by not being able to defend myself in the past. He was an easy target; deserving of what he got for the things he'd done, but that didn't make it right on my part. So as I sat tautly in the dirt a few feet away from my bike, I began to feel the irritation subside. Time no longer existed out there in the middle of nowhere. It was just me and the horizon as specks of sand swirled about in the wind. My body no longer tensed with rage, but fatigue. And the pain had returned.

Out of the last three days, I had slept no more than a few hours. Even for a man of my enhancements, that wasn't enough; not to mention the injury I had suffered just a few days before. True, I was lucky to have survived. Anyone else would have most likely bled to death, or suffered from some other horrid demise. But my survival did not come without consequence. If there was any way to express the pain shooting through my entire body; even as it rattled the nerves in my teeth, it would be much too frightening. My only choice was to stick it out.

Before I knew it, the tip of the sun had disappeared below the land and the sky blazed brightly with vibrant, and thick orange and red hues. It had been a while since I'd last watched the sun set, and was glad to have caught it at least once before what I would have to face in the future. For the first time in a long while, a sense of calmness washed over me. Although it wasn't exactly reassuring, I could relax to the point where there was at least nothingness. I felt no hatred or shame; fright or concern. Despite the fact that I knew those feelings would come rushing back soon enough; it was nice to at least have a brief moment to myself.

Unfortunately, as a widely known fact, all good things must come to an end. After standing up from the ground and brushing the dust off of my pants, I made my way back to the bike. Now that the sun had faded away, I figured it was time to head back. At the rate it took me to get out there, it would take just as long to return.

As I anticipated, I arrived back at the bar around 11:30 PM. It felt as if hardly any time had passed since I stormed my way out of ShinRa HQ, when in reality I had been gone for almost half a day.

Careful not to make much noise upon stepping in, I noticed that none of the lights were on and figured Tifa must have closed early for the night. But before I could make it in too far, I noticed a shadowy figure sitting at one of the tables to my left. It was Zack.

He met my gaze with a smile but remained seated. Why he was down here in the dark remained a mystery, but I didn't bother to ask since it was none of my business, and took a seat instead. "What're you doin' back?" he asked. Then I remembered what had happened earlier, and realized they must have no idea.

"Things are pretty slow," I replied, figuring that excuse would do for now. Zack just nodded and returned his gaze to the napkin crumpled in his hand. "Are you alright up in the kids' room?" I wondered aloud.

"Yeah, definitely! Oh and Tifa insisted on cooking up a big dinner earlier; some of your friends stopped by."  
Curious, I frowned slightly and asked, "Who?"

"A girl named Yuffie and another named Nanaki. They said they had something to talk to you about, but no one could get a hold of you. So they left for the night."

"Oh…" We both fell silent until Zack spoke up again.

"You look exhausted, Cloud. Maybe you should get some sleep?"

"Yeah," I nodded, standing from the table. I headed for the stairs but turned to face him once again. "You don't need anything, do you?"

"Nah," he said, waving his hand to dismiss my query. "I was just about to head off to bed myself." Again I nodded, yet this time continued up the stairs.

In our bedroom a few moments later, I found Tifa fast asleep. She lay still under the plaid comforter; hair splayed about behind her with her hands clasped together between the pillow and her face. She remained asleep I disrobed as quietly as possible, down to my boxers and carefully slid under the blanket and scooted up against her warm back. Tifa groaned softly and shifted at the sudden movement, but didn't fully rouse, at least not until I draped an arm across her waist.

"Cloud," she murmured, as I placed my head down on the pillow. Her hair tickled my nose but it was soft and smelled of the shampoo she always used.

I brushed a piece of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear, shushing her softly in reply. She then turned to face me.

"I didn't think you'd be back," the brunette said in a groggy voice. But I found myself unable to answer. I just watched as she nestled closer to me, half asleep yet trying to stay awake.

Eventually, I replied, "Change of plans," and gently brushed my hand down her bare arm. She had gone to bed in nothing but a tank top and panties. I couldn't stop touching her. It wasn't until a few moments later that I noticed she had been staring at me with a curious look in her eyes.

Taking even myself by surprise, I went in to press my lips against hers. The kiss was hungry, passionate and became more so by the moment. I hadn't expected her to respond with the same vigor, but the way she ran her hands up and down my body reassured me that it wasn't a bad idea after all. When I could hardly handle it anymore, I rolled on top of her, pressing the weight of my body against her slim hips. She let out a soft moan as I moved my kisses to other parts of her body; the soft skin just under her jaw; the small dip that separated her collarbone. I figured with the way she kept silent, she was just being quiet for the sake of our company. But I wanted to hear her cry out loud…

"Cloud," she gasped, when my fingers drifted further down, just above the hem of her panties. They gently brushed over the fabric but stopped at the hesitant call of my name. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Of course I wanted to, though she was referring to the fact that Zack was just a few doors away. Then again, I wasn't about to force her into something she felt uncomfortable with. "It's alright," I whispered, brushing my lips over the skin just below her belly button. I could tell by the way that she pulled at me, softly dragging her nails across my shoulders; the way she squeezed her thighs around my waist, that she wanted this just as much as I did. "We'll be quiet."

The smirk that pulled at the corner of her lips told me exactly what I needed to know. It was obvious now; there was no way we wouldn't go through with it.

- -

When the brunette woke the next morning to the sun shining brightly in her eyes, Tifa noticed something amiss. Where there had been a warm, naked body pressed against her back the night before, was nothing but cold air. Cloud no longer slept peacefully beside her and didn't appear to be in the room either. After the night they'd shared, the fighter felt a sense of disappointment in not being able to wake up next to him.

It didn't take her long to dress as she didn't bother fixing herself up completely. It was only 9:00 AM and the bar wouldn't open for another few hours. Tifa then made her way downstairs only to find Zack at the counter with a big plate of breakfast. He seemed to be in a cheerful mood as he idly sipped at a steaming cup of coffee and skimmed curiously through the newspaper. "Oh hey," the raven-haired man said with a smile. "I made extra, if you're hungry."

To her right on the counter was plate of food where Zack gestured, but Tifa wasn't exactly starving. "No, thank you," she replied and took a seat on the stool next to him. "Cloud isn't here by any chance, is he?"

"Nah," Zack said, shaking his head. "I caught him sneaking out around six this morning. He said he had some business to take care of; that he'd be back later."

"Oh…" The dejection in her voice was all too apparent, but Zack did not press it. He was merely a guest in their home, and didn't feel right questioning about their personal matters.

The SOLDIER soon hopped off of his stool and set the empty plate in the sink. Yesterday after all of the excitement, initial shock and thousands of questions passed, Barret and Yuffie had offered to take him on somewhat of a tour of the city. "I'm sorry I can't stay, Tifa, but Edge awaits!" Before she knew it, Zack had vanished out the door, leaving her all alone.

The fighter let out a heavy sigh and glanced around the empty bar.

_What now?_

- -

In a diner located somewhere within the city, two men dressed in plain clothes entered casually through the doorway. Overhead, a small bell chimed, which alerted the spiky blond of their arrival. He remained seated, though, and seemingly unaware of their arrival. Cloud himself had dressed down for the occasion, wearing a navy blue jacket, jeans and boots. If they were going to do this right, they'd have to be careful.

The two men joined him at the corner booth and slid in on either side. Rude faced Reno and Cloud sat in the middle. "How ballsy of you, attacking Rufus like that," the red-head began. He wore a smirk but clearly had some objections toward the assault. Even after having been disbanded once Rufus was forced to resign, they remained close in hopes that some opportunity to bounce back would arise. Fortunately for them, their prayers had been answered.

The General didn't bother to reply in his defense, though it was none of their business in the first place. So he did what he came there to do by immediately changing the subject. When he determined they were safe from prying ears, he began. "I need access to some records on a scientist named Nicholas Holt."

"What for?" the red-head asked.

"Does it matter?" Cloud shot back.

"Well I would prefer to know what I'm getting myself into here. I'm sure Rude feels the same…"

For a brief moment, the blondl glared at them with a pensive twinkle in his eye and eventually decided that it wouldn't do too much harm to tell them more. "He was the head of a project you probably already know about…"

"Oh, right!" Reno chirped, pointing in the general direction of his partner. "Reeve finally told you, huh? I bet it was pretty trippy."

In an uncouth tone, Cloud snapped. "Can we get back to business? What I need are his records and schedule for the last week, as well as the next few."

"Why?" the Turk smirked playfully. He dismissed the fact that Cloud seemed rather upset and less concerned with being toyed around for their services. "You got some sneaking suspicion about him, too?" He sucked in a deep breath of air and let it out slowly. "I guess I can't blame you though."

Thoroughly irritated by then and wanting nothing more than to get the hell out of there, Cloud simply ignored Reno's taunting for his own sake. Though jumping over the table and strangling him sounded rather tempting as well. "I don't have any time to waste. Are you guys up for it or not?"

The table fell silent once again as the red-head glanced at his partner who returned the gesture. They made their decision via eye contact and the bald man replied for the both of them. "You have to understand that we're on the President's good side now. I wouldn't want to exploit his trust…"

While their hesitation came off as suspicious, Cloud quickly got the jist. "What do you want?"

"_First_ of all," the red-head began, but was quickly cut off by his partner who was already slipping out of the booth.

"We'll think about it later," Rude replied as he stood upright. Reno followed with a hint of disappointment on his face but they lingered momentarily. "If we're going to do this, we better get going,"

"It was a pleasure doing business with you General," the red-head smiled. "We'll have what you need."

"At the bar," Cloud added. "Ten o'clock sharp, and don't be late."

- -

At around high noon is when Cloud made his way back. Before he had left, the city was just waking up. Now, the hustle and bustle of everyday life swarmed all around him. He had to snake his way through a massive crowd of people, careful as he navigated the busy streets. The blond jogged the rest of the way down the sidewalk and flew up the stairs inside the door.

From behind the counter, Tifa stood against the sink while running a few dishes under the hot water. She absentmindedly glanced up, thinking maybe it was someone else, but smiled when she realized who it was. She then came out from around the bar, drying off her hands with a towel and approached the spiky-blond. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling Tifa close to his body. "I missed you," she smiled and stood on her toes to kiss him.

Cloud took a moment to relinquish his guard and lingered in the kiss. The hot touch of her lips was almost enough to convince him that another session in the bedroom wouldn't do much harm, but he pulled away eventually knowing it couldn't be done so easily. "Sorry I took off this morning."

"It's okay," Tifa replied. "Do you have a few days off or something?" His being home came across as rather suspicious, seeing as how he hadn't mentioned it before.

"I'm not sure. Things are moving pretty slowly…"

"Oh. Well Zack said you had some business to take care of. So I didn't think you'd be back."

For a moment, the blond stood there silently. His mind had wandered elsewhere. "Where is Zack anyway?"

"Didn't he mention that Yuffie and Nanaki stopped by? They went with Barret on a little tour of the city. They should be back any minute though."

As if on cue, from behind, the door swung open and everyone poured in; Yuffie burst through the doorway first, followed by Nanaki Barret and Zack. They quickly pulled apart. "There he is!" the ninja shouted happily. Cloud hadn't seen her in quite a while and noticed that she had grown somewhat, but still remained the (almost) annoyingly energetic young woman she had always been.

"This city is unbelievable," Zack said with a smile as he made his way over to the counter. "We're not even done yet!"

And then Nanaki stepped forward, sporting a serious expression to break the gleeful atmosphere. "I trust Tifa explained to you why we're here?" However, the spiky blond had not been paying much attention. He responded brusquely and went for the bar.

"Yeah, but can't it wait?" Cloud asked as he grabbed Zack by the wrist and pulled him off of his stool. The raven-haired man nearly dropped the bowl of peanuts he'd been snacking on, but regained his balance and reluctantly let himself be led outside. At the door, the General added one last thing before completely disappearing. "We'll be back later," he said.

- -

They'd been driving for hours it seemed, yet had only traveled to the other end of the city a good fifteen minutes away. Once they arrived, Cloud stopped the bike in a rundown neighborhood and parked it near the front of a shabby-looking weapons' shop. Not a lot of people graced that part of town, which was exactly what he was looking for––privacy. There, they could talk without much concern.

Leaning against the bike with his arms crossed over his chest, Zack began to question Cloud's abrupt and almost rude behavior. "Why did you bring me all the way out here?" the SOLDIER asked. He watched curiously as the blond paced back and forth; hands shoved in his pockets, eyes glued to the ground.

The answer came sudden and unexpected. "There's been a breach of security at headquarters. Someone has found a way to access highly confidential files without permission."

Frowning, the raven haired man asked, "When?"

"Just yesterday," Cloud replied and exhaled heavily. "We're not sure who's behind it, though it can only really be someone from the inside. Not a lot of people have access to the required information it takes to get them."

"What kind of files?"

As Reeve had before, Cloud hesitated, though he was not sure why. Perhaps fearing how Zack would react to the news; he felt guilty in a way, as if it were his own fault? "The documents that Hojo kept on his test subjects––you and me, as well as Sephiroth and Vincent."

Nothing but the passing of cars could be heard in the distance. Zack didn't know how to respond to the news at first. All he could do was sit there silently, struggling to process what he'd just been given. "But…why would anyone want to take _our_ files?"

"I'm not sure," the blond shrugged, "Which is why I can't stick around for long. I've got a lot of work to do to figure this out, but it's going to be difficult. I want you to take the bike back."

"Hey, wait a minute," Zack began and stood upright to approach him. "You're not serious, are you?"

"I told you I can't stay. It would just be best if you went back for now."

The SOLDIER paused for a moment. He knew couldn't avoid it any longer. Things were getting more and more awkward by the minute. "Look, I know I haven't been back for very long, but you've been acting pretty weird lately. Are you alright?"

But Cloud's response came all too quickly. "I'm fine. I'll be back later tonight…"

With much reluctance, Zack watched as the blond made his way down the road; to where only God knew. It almost hurt having to give in; though Zack figured there wasn't much more he could say or do seeing as how Cloud refused to cooperate. Pushing him would only result in a myriad of problems, more than anyone else would have cared to admit. So in lieu of forcing a true answer out of the General at that moment, Zack wasted no time in leaving Cloud on his own.


	10. Chapter 10

- -

**Busy Doing Nothing**

- -

Despite all of the initial hype and shock of being in the presence of a man who had since been merely a legend, the night of celebration and acquaintance naturally wound to a steady crawl. An hour passed midnight is when the two sauntered into the bar. Their laughter subsided now that the party was over. Both Zack and Tifa were beyond exhausted and slightly tipsy, so they went their separate ways to ready for bed.

On her way upstairs, after leaving Zack downstairs to rummage through the fridge, Tifa found herself curious as to whether or not Cloud had finally returned. She remembered having been told that he would be back later on and checked a few places before finding him in their makeshift office. He was sitting in front of the desk, slumped in the chair over a pile of papers––one arm propped his head up, which sat on his knee; and the other hand combed through tousled blond spikes. He didn't even look up in response to her entrance.

Tifa disregarded his lack of a reply and approached Cloud from behind. It was nice to have him home when he didn't need to be away, so she was going to revel in it. The brunette snaked her arms around his shoulders, and leaned down next to his ear to whisper in a somewhat amorous manner, "What're you doing?"

"Thinking…"

"It's late," she said, pulling at him slightly, "You should come to bed."

But his response took her slightly off guard when Cloud shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to push her off. It worked, seeing as how the brunette shot upright, more out of insult than surprise. "Not now, Tifa," he grumbled and shifted uncomfortably in the chair. Cloud appeared to be immersed deeply into what he was reading; she could see that. But Tifa couldn't simply shake the lingering feeling that something was very wrong. Over the passed few days, the blond had been acting more than what was normally considered strange. He always kept to himself, though it wasn't unusual per se. What bothered her most was how bad it was getting. Not only that, but Tifa found it difficult not to say anything. She was getting irritated with the way he acted, and wanted nothing more than to furiously shake an explanation out of him.

There was no hope, though, at this hour or rate. She was tired and didn't feel like arguing with him. Instead of even saying goodnight, the brunette sighed softly and stepped out of the room. She shut the door quietly behind her, hurt by the way he'd acted towards her, and stood in the hallway for a moment to gather her thoughts. In the darkness, she couldn't see much and was taken by surprise when a shadowy figure approached.

"Hey," Zack whispered, "Is he back?"

Tifa moved away from the door before replying. She didn't want to talk about Cloud while standing right outside the room he occupied. "Yeah. He's busy working though."

It didn't come as much of a shock to Zack after what they had discussed earlier. But there was one thing he just couldn't shed his mind from. "Listen," the dark haired man began. He leaned in a bit closer so he wouldn't have to raise his voice and continued. "I've been meaning to ask about this. I noticed something earlier that kind of bothered me. Cloud has been really careful with his right side," illustrating by pointing specifically to his waist. "Did something happen?"

"Oh. He didn't tell you?" The SOLDIER shook his head. "Well, you know about the monster attack, right? He decided––for some crazy reason––to search the ruins of old ShinRa HQ. I still don't know why, but apparently one of the monsters managed to get inside. Thing is, they didn't know that and he was attacked; nearly took off half of his midriff."

The raven-haired man simply blinked in surprised. "_What!?"_

"I guess it just bit right through him, but I don't know much of the details…"

"And this only happened a few days ago?"

"…If I remember right, it happened about two days before you came back."

They fell silent again, but only for a couple of seconds. Neither really knew what to say as Tifa was still recovering from Cloud's harsh treatment, and the SOLDIER was simply at a loss for words. Nothing even seemed appropriate for the awkwardness of the situation. "I'm sorry," Zack replied, glancing away from her. "I didn't mean to bring it up."

"It's alright," she replied. A yawn quickly followed. "I'm just glad he's alright…"

_Alright…_Zack nodded anyway. "Yeah."

"Well, I'm off to bed. I'll see you in the morning." And with that, Tifa turned to head into her room. But the dark-haired man didn't respond until the door shut softly behind her.

"Night…"

- -

**_Hughes_**

****

Subsequent to the incident with Rufus and Cloud, I had been elected as acting General for the time being. Though his job wasn't exactly a big change for me, there wasn't much any of us could do either way. So I was given a choice, which I unfalteringly took; remaining on call at all hours, I decided to return home to my family.

It had been a week since I'd last seen them, and my wife Carolyn was more than ecstatic to have me home. When I stepped through that doorway, she immediately dropped whatever she was doing, as it was apparent by the loud crash, and barreled through the hall to jump into my arms. We nearly fell over, but I regained my balance shortly, arms wrapped tightly around her slender frame. Words couldn't express how thankful I was to see her beautiful face and the two little ones as well.

There was nothing better than being able to relax and spend time at home. I kicked my feet up, played with the kids and spent those small moments that most people disregarded as if I'd never experience them again. Every chuckle that escaped my daughter, each cry my son emitted in the middle of the night. Waking up to a screaming infant was more preferable than being roused by some unexpected and treacherous event. I would stay up all night with the kids in my arms if I had to; falling asleep in the chair until my wife came around to take them to bed. Sometimes I wondered why I had chosen a life away from my family. I suppose being able to protect them in any way I could, was the main reason…

But the moment I got that call––almost five days after Cloud had been dismissed­­––I knew that this would not last forever. What little time I had with my family had to end. Though teary-eyed and disheartened to see me go, Carolyn held the children beside her, our son in her arms and our daughter standing to the side, holding a handful of her skirt. They watched as I slid into the unmarked sedan that had come to pick me up. We took off a few moments later and I waved goodbye from out the window until I couldn't see them anymore. For now, it was back to business. I had returned to my previous position as Lieutenant General as things were starting to pick up again.

During the entire ride, I could only hope that Cloud would not get to the location I'd been called to before me. Because the news was grim and seemed to be getting worse, I could only imagine how he would take it. An incident like this would only heighten concern and suspicion––especially his. So I speedily walked down the halls towards my destination, mind racing as I thought, "_please don't let him be here, please don't let him be here, please don't let him be here…"_ The knot in the pit of my stomach grew mercilessly, to the point where it hurt. I had butterflies, but not the good kind. The walls seemed to close in on me, shrinking faster and faster. At long last I had arrived at the lab. And there standing in the middle of the bare room, was the man I wished I wouldn't see.

"Cloud," I heard myself say as I approached him from behind. There were a few random papers strewn about, on the counters and floors. However, for the most part, the lab was practically stripped of what was small enough to carry out. He didn't even look up at me, just stood there in silence. I couldn't come close to distinguishing the expression he wore. Perhaps it was filled with anger or disgust; nausea or fright? Or maybe it was a mixture of most every awful emotion one could feel rolled into one?

When I stepped maybe a little too close for comfort, he raised his hand to stop me in my tracks. I stood stiffly a few feet away, but the General simply frowned and shook his head. He needed to get out of there, yet it seemed as if all he wanted to do was stay. "Come on," I said, not suggesting but commanding that we leave. Surprisingly, Cloud did not dispute. He turned, lightly brushing my shoulder as he passed by and exited into the hall. I took a brief moment to scan the empty room before joining him, but there was not much to look at.

"How did this happen?" the blond asked. I couldn't tell if he was merely speculating or outright asking me. I replied anyway.

"…I'm not sure."

We continued down the passage in silence until coming upon two large double doors that would lead to the next destination. Out in the main lobby of the science department, business ran as usual. For now, word that drifted among the companies researchers would remain hearsay. Even we had no way of offering any information due to the lack thereof. Whatever was happening behind our backs or in front of our noses, for that matter, was getting worse. And there were no clear ways to go about the new path.

- -

Though dark, musty and somewhat questionable, he had found a place for the professor to continue. Everything Holt needed was right there, right under their noses and no one knew. _He_ was there, but not entirely. Soon. Soon enough and they would have achieved their goal––in time. It had only been a day or so since they made it out undetected. He hadn't even begun to work on picking up where they left off.

But the plan was foolproof and would get them what they needed. It was almost laughable, the twists and turns that ShinRa would have to take. Cloud and the rest of his army; he would be dealing with a much more intimidating adversary before long.

_//…"Do not sleep, eat, or drink. You focus and you focus until your body cannot handle it anymore. We will gain the recognition we deserve. And the world will fall to its knees."…//_

_- - _

Having never left the bar once Cloud and Zack took off just minutes after they'd returned, Yuffie wandered her way to the counter and sat up on a stool to face Tifa, who was cleaning up a few scattered dishes. The ninja let out a heavy sigh and propped her arms up on the bar. "That was pretty rude of Cloud," she began, referring to their abrupt departure.

"Well he's been acting like that for a while now…"

"Really? What the hell is the matter with him anyway?"

"I'm not sure," Tifa shrugged. "He hasn't been talking to me lately. Ever since that incident at the ruins, I haven't been able to get a word out of him. And now that Zack's around, it seems to have gotten worse…"

"Yeah but shouldn't he be happy about Zack? I mean come on! It's not everyday a friend of yours is brought back from the dead," so the young girl put it, though Tifa knew what she was trying to say. "You'd think he would be ecstatic."

"Yes, one would think, and I'm sure deep down inside he is, but he sure doesn't show it." The fighter then glanced up from the sink to lean forward a bit. She wore a frown as well. "Yuffie, I'm really worried about him. It's getting bad this time."

"How bad are we talking here?"

She remembered last night and how he had shrugged her off of him. It wasn't a very violent action, but hurt her enough emotionally to use it as an example. "To the point where he shoved me away last night….literally."

"That _ass_!"

"I understand that Cloud is going through a lot of emotions right now, but this is just getting ridiculous."

"Yeah but he can't just keep pushing you away. He's got to open up _sooner_ or later. I didn't come here for nothing. There's some important stuff we need to talk to him about."

The room fell silent for a brief moment as Tifa reluctantly returned to her previous chore. "Has anyone at least been able to catch him since he left?" she wondered.

"Well," the ninja sighed, "I asked Cid to try, but I haven't heard anything from him yet." Another pause and Yuffie continued. "Speaking of that old fart…I don't mean to change the subject, but the strangest thing happened. When I called to ask him about Cloud, Vincent answered."

Tifa raised a curious eyebrow, "Cid's phone?"

"Yeah," Yuffie nodded. "They sure seem to be spending a lot of time together; answering his phone, coming together to dinner last night. And you said they were both here when they helped out Cloud during the first attack, right?" Tifa nodded. "Did you see how Cid was hanging all over Vincent during dinner? Okay sure he was drunk, but I don't think Vince minded all that much…" Before the fighter had a chance to reply, Yuffie added one more thing. "_And_ he took him back to the ship."

"…They have been together a lot lately. Plus there was something that struck me as odd. Just before we were about to fly to Kalm, Cid pulled Vincent over to talk to him after questioning his decision to stay and help Cloud. I have no idea what they discussed, but there couldn't be many reasons as to why."

"You see!" the ninja chirped loudly. She raised one pointed finger and slammed her other palm on the counter. "There's something strange going on here."

"Yeah, but…I'm just not sure. Maybe you're thinking into this a little more than you should be?"

Somewhat disappointed that she knew it wasn't any of her business; Yuffie sighed and shrugged it off as Tifa had apparently done. Of course, even if her sneaking suspicion had been correct, there was almost no way she could prove it. She had no plan of attack. Not only did her speculation seem like nothing but a dead end, but there were more important matters at hand.


	11. Chapter 11

- -

**Divergence**

- -

**_Hughes_**

After a briefing led by Reeve, we managed to form a few teams to handle each task for the investigation. Naturally, Cloud would be overseeing everything, but I was specifically assigned to intelligence; uncovering information that would help us track down the professor and his accomplice, along with keeping an eye out on our newcomers. Since an arrangement had not yet been made due to the fact that the Turks no longer existed, it was most dire that _someone_ acted as their leader. And for the time being, that was me.

I was somewhat skeptical of those two in the beginning to be honest. Though Reeve had enough confidence in them to hand over their previous position, I could not shake the mistrust I harbored after learning about their past with Rufus. Then again they would be off in the city helping with the investigation, thoroughly searching the professor's residence under the watch of me, so perhaps my wariness was a tad unnecessary. I couldn't be too careful though, as my attention was needed elsewhere.

In a lab specifically set up for security purposes onlyI sat in front of a glowing monitor, having been staring at it for hours. From what I could tell, night had graced itself upon the city. Sunlight from the small window above my head no longer gleamed brightly into the room. A small lamp beside me was my only means of illumination. I was sore from having been seated too long, and sat back in the chair, grinding my teeth from the dull ache that shot through my back. Wearily, I ran a hand over my tired face. On the desk to the right sat my watch, which I had removed earlier. It read something around 10 PM, though I couldn't be sure since my vision was slightly blurred.

The way I could barely my eyes open was enough of a reminder that a break was in order. Ironically enough, something deep inside prevented me from having taken one earlier. I wanted to rest my body and my mind, but I also wanted to at least find something, _anything_ that would help us advance to the next stages. And I would have continued if it weren't for Cloud, who came quietly into the room to see how things were going.

Grabbing a chair and sitting next to me he asked, "Any luck?"

I let out a heavy sigh then swirled to face him. "No. At least nothing we don't already know about. I've been through so many video tapes and documents that I don't ever want to see them again for the rest of my life." We fell silent for a moment until I spoke up. "What about you?"

"They've found some of the stolen duplicate files in Holt's apartment. We got rid of them, but there haven't been any other discoveries. And we aren't even close to being finished…"

Then it hit me. Although I had been somewhat irked about the situation before, at that moment is when I think it became too much for me to remain silent. "This is getting ridiculous," I huffed; a frown tugged at my face. "You'd think we would find _something_ by now." Although Cloud knew how irritated I was, he didn't exactly know what to say in return. I suppose he felt the exact same way. "How can someone get passed that much security without anyone noticing?"

"Easily, apparently," he offered. I was about to reply to his witty remark, when I was cut off by the ringing of a PHS. He answered promptly. "Yeah?" Silence, and then his expression changed slightly. He knit his brow, glancing away for a brief moment. "We'll be there in a minute." Off the phone in just seconds, Cloud stood from the chair and stashed his PHS in a pocket.

"What is it?" I asked, gazing at him curiously.

"I guess they've found some more documents," the blond replied. Without anymore hesitation, I switched off the computer for the time being, grabbed my belongings and quickly followed behind the General.

§

When we arrived at the apartment, which had been squared off to keep away the public, Cloud and I marched swiftly into the building and up the stairs to find a swarm of our men; SOLDIER's who stepped aside once they realized who was gracing their presence. Cloud went in first and glanced around the small entryway. He then spotted the two suited men who didn't seem all that happen to see us.

The redhead held out in his hand the file in question, and passed it onto the General. "Are you hiding shit from us?" Reno asked with a suspicious frown.

"Why," Cloud replied, "What's in here?"

"Stuff about Sephiroth and some crazy experiment like the one they did with Zack," he explained. "And I verified that it's Holt's handwriting."

The General remained silent, skimming through the folders but did not offer any reply. Instead, I spoke up. "Why would he keep such information lying around his home? Where did you guys find this anyway?"

Rude fielded that question. "Under the floorboards in the closet over there. It were kept in a safety box."

The entire lot of us fell silent again as if waiting for an answer from Cloud. But he seemed to be having a hard time comprehending the situation himself. If this was as he had expected, which I was only guessing, then his suspicions were true.

There was no mistaking the way Cloud was acting. His actions and emotions were crystal clear.

He had been prepared for this all along.

"Alright," the General finally spoke. "Finish searching this place. I also want you to talk to the neighbors and any immediate family or friends."

"Fine," the redhead snipped. With that, both Turks turned to their previous tasks and we returned outside.

Neither of us spoke for some time as I was much too confused by practically everything that was going on, and the fact that Cloud seemed to be withholding information. However, there was no easy way to approach a discussion like that. I would have to jump right in; no time to test the waters. "Cloud…" Briefly I paused, gathering my thoughts in an attempt to find some sort of direction. "What do you think this means?"

"I'm not sure I want to know," was his answer. It couldn't have been any more unnerving.

"You think it's possible they're trying to bring Him back?"

"Why else would Holt let himself get caught with these files? It still doesn't make much sense to me though. You'd think he would be smarter than to keep them at home. Unless he wanted us to find them…"

Immediately stopping in my tracks, I grabbed a firm hold of his forearm. He, too, halted and glanced over his shoulder. "It wasn't like this last time, was it? With the Meteor Crisis? You don't think it will be the same?"

For a long while, the blond stared at me with a pensive gleam in his eyes. "I'm not sure," he replied. "It does feel different, but this is something I can't really explain…"

With an answer like that, what else more could I––or any one of us for that matter––do but wait and see?

- -

Midday came upon the small beach town of Costa Del Sol with a brightly shining sun and clear blue skies. A light breeze carried sweet air from the ocean upon the land while one man in particular had the pleasure of a beachfront home where his own auto mechanic business sat. He worked away in the small garage designated for private use only, just like every other day.

Having received an important call from a very generous customer, the man busily scrambled about, trying to get things done in the time that he had. But he was in need of a few missing parts that a friend safely stored for him in his own shop where he would have to go get them.

A dirt road led the way between their houses, which sat just a mile apart. It did not take him very long to get there either. The small structure appeared to be empty upon his arrival, though. No lights luminated the inside of the house or the shop. However, the large door that led to the shed was slightly askew. It was the main entrance, a door in which one would pull back on a small set of wheels. But that door was usually never open without a truck sticking halfway out of it. This caught the man by surprise and aroused his curiosity. He would go inspect further.

As the man came through the doorway, he slowed his pace since no one could be found. Everything seemed to be in order from what he could see, even though it was somewhat dark inside. He took a few steps further, and on the last step lost his footing under an unknown liquid. Once he regained his balance, the man frowned and squinted slightly to get a better look. It was dark, though not purely; he came to one knee and swiped a bit on the tip of his finger.

"Blood?" the man said to himself. He looked up again to scan the vast space; all that he could see the liquid was haphazardly smeared about the cement floor. Standing now and backing towards the door, the man watched with a keen eye for whatever could have caused this. Why there was blood on the ground in the first place was a complete mystery to him, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out. It wasn't until the man returned to the door that he realized he was not alone. He hadn't made it completely outside, but beside the entrance and nearly tripped over something in the process of leaving.

"What the…" One glance behind him and the man nearly jumped out of his skin. Lying on the ground, sprawled and covered in blood was the body of his friend. There was no mistaking now that something terrible had happened, seeing as how the trail of blood led to his corpse. It looked as if he had been thrown against the wall, as blood sprayed outward on the rusted metal. "Oh my God…"

Not a second later, and the man caught sight of a suspicious silhouette out of the corner of his eyes. His attention was drawn to the other side of the shop where light from a window gleamed in rays. And there in the shadows it was, large and menacing in size, lurking about as if it had been watching the whole time. It did not take long for the man to dash out of the entrance and scramble down the dirt road. He left a cloud of dust in his wake, though it worked against his advantage. If he were to escape unscathed out of this one, he would have to head for the trees.

The man peeked over his shoulder briefly to see that the monster had been taking its time chasing after him. There was a good sixty to seventy feet between the two, and he was still only at the door. It almost seemed as if the creature was not up for a chase, until it rushed into a heavy sprint without warning. Perhaps he wouldn't make it out of there as he had hoped?

"_No. Just keep running. Don't look back…"_

- -

**_Hughes_**

****

We had been over those files at least four times when Reeve finally found us down in the room I'd been in previously. Cloud and I had holed ourselves up in that small office, scattered about the floor in a desperate attempt to find anything helpful to the case. And even though there was a lot of new information, most of it didn't make much sense with the little idea we had already. I was about ready to give up for a break when the President came rushing in. By the looks of it, he had some more bad news to throw our way.

"There's been another attack…" His voice seemed to be filled with uneasiness and rue; a familiar feeling in the last week or so.

Cloud frowned and stood from the floor. "Where?"

"Costa Del Sol. I just got a report from the captain of a brigade that's been stationed there."

"What happened this time?"

"Well," Reeve sighed, "Apparently a man was on his way to an acquaintance's when he discovered the body in his shop. There was only one monster this time, though, from his account."

"But there's more now?" Cloud asked. I'd had a sneaking suspicion myself knowing that there had already been a brigade stationed in the small town.

Perhaps it was that fact that Reeve felt remorse in coming here only to bring more bad news that caused him to act in such a way I'd never seen before. My deepest fears could only sink even deeper. "Yes," the President finally answered. "They were located on the outskirts of town in the plains near the mountains." Cloud then made his way around the desk, but Reeve continued. "I've already assigned Zack to a handful of SOLDIER's. He'll be accompanying you on your mission."

As I turned my glance back to the General, I noticed something odd about his expression. It struck me as filled with apprehension and perhaps a bit of grief. He didn't seem too happy to hear that the Zack would be tagging along, but never protested in what had been decided. I didn't bother to say anything either, since it was none of my business in the first place. Even so, they left before I could; excusing themselves from the room a few moments later.

- -

**_Cloud_**

Yet another problem at the worst of times, and there was no hope in sight. Not that I had focused my concern on the attack in Costa Del Sol, but rather, the fact that Zack would be accompanying me. The last thing I wanted was for something to happen, but I knew I was being completely irrational. ShinRa was no longer interested in hunting him down; there was no reason to fear the past. Yet I could not shake the feeling that lingered in the pit of my stomach. And I couldn't very well object to the matter either. Zack was alive and I had no control over him. He was very much capable of taking care of himself. What happened in the past was an ill-fated occurrence.

But still…

Even as my mind tossed and turned restlessly over the past week, there was still a job to do. We joined the troops previously stationed there who had discovered the monsters first. For they were the ones in charge of securing the area where the attack had occurred, as well as ensuring the safety of the citizens.

Zack, myself and our men arrived a few short hours after the monsters had dispersed about several different locations; luckily not too far into the city, but much too close for anyone's comfort. In the end, we had no other choice but to split up. Zack would take a handful of men to one location and I, another.

§

"_General!_"

The call came from behind, yet it sounded so far away; muddled and inaudible. My heart seemed to be pumping needles throughout my body. I wanted so badly to just give up, collapse and fall asleep there in the dirt. But they kept charging; one after another, dark smoke dissipating into the sky back where they came from. My men seemed to be doing a better job of defending themselves than I was seeing as how my body had decided to give up on me. The pain was just too much.

Before I could even take another breath, I had collapsed to my hands and knees in the dirt after slaughtering the last creature that charged me. My vision began to fade; my arms and legs trembled restlessly, struggling to keep me upright but to no avail. And on the wound itself I fell, causing the pain to spread even more. All I could make out were the concerned voices of my men who had come to assist.

"General, sir! Are you alright?" one of them asked. I supposed I didn't answer right away, because they glanced at each other with an uneasy look in their eyes. It was then that two lifted me from the dirt and headed back for our makeshift base. The rest, I figured, would stay until Zack arrived.

- -

**_Zack_**

****

I couldn't express how keyed up I was about returning to my place as a top SOLDIER. After learning about what had happened subsequent to my passing, and how ShinRa ultimately fell in the end, there was no doubt in my mind that they needed a good leader; especially having redesigned the entire program. A few aspects of the job had changed, but for the most part we were SOLDIERs––strong inside and out, physically, mentally…at least I thought so until I heard about what happened to Cloud. I could honestly say my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. Even though they hadn't told me much of what happened, all the same, I immediately high-tailed it from my post.

Cloud was lying face up on the bed, staring out of half-lidded eyes into what looked like the abyss when I found him. I couldn't tell if he was awake or a sleep, but proceeded to shake him gently in hopes that he would arouse. For a moment, all he did was groan miserably and shift slightly on the mattress. He then opened his eyes, though sporting a frown, and glared at me with a weary stare.

I flashed a smile in return and spoke softly. "Hey…"

Struggling to sit up, I also noticed that Cloud was covered in a thin film of sweat and dirt; some spots more obvious than others. It was obvious, even after a few hours had passed, that he'd forgone a shower. I couldn't blame him, though. Lately things had been quite difficult for everyone; especially Cloud. Not to mention how much he had to be suffering from that injury. "Hey," he replied. His voice was low and hoarse.

I took a seat at the edge of the mattress. "How're ya feeling?"

"…Fine," was his answer, although I expected something along the lines of that.

To that day it still amused me how he could simply shrug something so serious off like nothing had happened. I, for one, knew that Spike would put up a fight even if I made a case about it. Unfortunately, as much as I didn't want to, it seemed as though that was the only way to get through to him.

"They told me what happened to you out there, and it didn't sound very good." He remained silent, but that wasn't a surprise. "Cloud…" I could tell that he knew I was concerned; the way he looked so guilty for being such a stubborn ass.

"Really, Zack, I'm okay. I just need to sleep it off."

"Is that so? Then why are you strangling those sheets?" Cloud glanced down at his hand, which, as I'd noted, had a firm grasp on the white fabric. "Let me see it," I said, pointing to his side. He struggled to voice his objection, but seemed to be mulling over the request. That could only mean we were making some progress. "Go on, pull up your shirt." It took a while, but he eventually did it.

I didn't know what to think at first glance. The wound seemed to have gotten worse from the last time I'd seen it. Where the puncture marks had previously been healing was one massive bruise; a patchwork of blues and purple-grayish hues. It began at the bottom of his ribcage and went down mid-waist, and even reopened in some places, seeping out thin ribbons of blood down his abdomen. The sight was truly disturbing, particularly because of the fact that it was Cloud I was looking at. But I suppressed my surprise in order to keep the situation calm.

"You should really get this checked out."

"No," he spat, and pulled away from me. "I'm fine. There isn't anything more they can do." It was only in his nature to act that way, and still I had no courage to argue against him. The only thing that managed to calm me was the fact that we were bunking together. At least then I could keep a close eye on him.


	12. Chapter 12

- -

**Things Fall Apart**

- -

**_Cloud_**

When I woke the following morning after the first day's incident, I found myself alone in the room. Zack was no longer around and hadn't bothered waking me before he left. I figured maybe he wanted to let me sleep, which was a good thing, because that's exactly what my body needed. But despite a physical recovery, there was still something I felt instead of the pain; a deep sense of longing slowly began to take control. It grew and grew in the depths of my chest––something I hadn't experienced for what seemed like forever. I wanted so badly just to be near him; to hear his voice. The feeling, however, was temporarily put on hold when a set of knocks sounded at the door.

That was three days prior.

We had been stationed in town for a few reasons; to get rid of the monsters and commence a newly formed plan to keep its citizens protected were the most important. After the first two days of fighting, there had been no more reports of monster sightings, which came as a huge relief for everyone––not only myself and Zack, but the troops and the citizens as well. Everything was beginning to calm down it seemed. I could even recall the first time I'd come to Costa del Sol while visiting during the meteor crisis. It was so peaceful back then…

Once each report had been composed and confirmed, it was time to wind down into another quiet night. Plans were still being discussed in regards to returning to Edge, but they would have to wait until morning. The sun had set and shops were closing. I eventually found myself wandering the beach towards a more remote location. The only thing there was the sand and gently crashing waves. Light from the moon shimmered radiantly off of the water. I felt, though, as if some company was in order; someone to share the serene atmosphere with. It came ironically enough, much to my luck (or so I thought), just the person that I wanted to see appeared in the distance.

He walked up to me at a steady stride through the sand and flashed a warm smile. "Been looking all over for you," the spiky dark-haired man said. I simply watched and waited for him to continue. "I just got a call from Tifa. She wanted to talk to you."

"Oh." Of course it had to be that.

"You didn't tell her we left, did you?" He was right. I hadn't. I supposed Tifa only knew that Zack was heading out, since he had been so busy with SOLDIER and what not. I didn't offer a reply, in any case. He seemed pretty concerned about the relationship between me and Tifa. "Cloud, I don't mean to pry, but are you guys okay?"

Were we okay? I hadn't really thought about it. Then again, I was the one avoiding her. The one thing I knew was that it wasn't out of spite, however cruel leaving Tifa in the dark may've seemed. My actions were more of an attempt to keep her safe with the power I possessed rather than for any intentional reason. As General, it would be a lot less difficult for me to do so with the resources I had. Even if she wanted to help, I couldn't let her not knowing exactly what we were dealing with. To this day, the thought of losing Aeris still haunted me. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose Tifa, too…

But what could I tell Zack? It was hard enough trying to make any sense of my own actions, let alone explain them to anyone else. Those feelings in the pit of my stomach were much too painful to think about and getting worse. If only I could just protect the people I love without any complications…

"I'm not sure," I told him. That was not too far from the truth. I had somewhat of an idea, but nothing was certain.

"Well she sounded pretty upset. Maybe you should call her back?" I suppose I could do just that, but the thought didn't exactly appeal to me at that particular moment. To be honest, I didn't really want to discuss anything with Tifa. Unfortunately, Zack _had_ to be right. What harm could it do if I at least called to check in?

He handed over the PHS, which I'd purposely left on the nightstand at our inn room. "Don't stay out too late," the SOLDIER joked as he headed back to town. I watched in disappointment until he vanished into the darkness. That feeling I experience earlier in the morning as I woke came flooding back the minute he walked off. I yearned for his company, and found myself confused by these thoughts. Sure I missed Zack before all of this came to be, and yes I cared deeply for him, but I had never imagined it to end up like this.

Then I recalled why he'd come searching for me in the first place. I glanced down at the PHS in my hand and took that one step that I dreaded so much. The phone rang four times before she picked up. Her greeting sounded tired; then again it was well passed midnight. "Hello?"

"Hey…"

Tifa paused for a moment, then responded with, "Cloud…"

"I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner."

She wouldn't believe me of course. The way Tifa remained more silent than usual was a certain indicator. "Zack told me what happened. He said you're alright, though."

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"…Why didn't you tell me what was going?"

"I guess I wasn't thinking. Everything happened so fast, I just––" The silence between us continued, but this time it was painfully awkward; something almost inexistent in our world. Of course, I wasn't exactly being as thorough in every little detail. She had every right to be skeptical. "We'll be back either later today or tomorrow."

"Oh…"

It seemed as if this conversation wasn't going to get any better. The best thing I could do was let her sleep. "I'm sorry to wake you. Go back to bed."

The line then clicked and fell silent. She didn't even say I love you. She _always_ said I love you. Maybe this was worse than I thought?

- -

**_Hughes_**

At long last, some good news began to float about ShinRa HQ. Despite our continuous search for answers (and lack thereof), the General and his men had taken control of the sitation in Costa del Sol, all within two full days. Soon they would be making their way back to the city, and everything would return to some sense of normality.

The morning was running smoothly for once, also. After having gathered some easily accessible information thanks to the Turks (who, by the way, were surprisingly a lot better at doing that than me), I was on my way to Cloud's office to drop off a few files for when he returned. It was still quite early, which made my journey less interrupted. The lack of employees was a blessing, or else I'd have a countless number of stops to make. Lord only knew I didn't need that at the moment.

As I finally arrived at the General's office, I glanced at my watch to make sure there was enough time left for me to drop off the files. Subsequent to this task, I had a meeting to attend with the President, only allowing for little time to mess around. Nevertheless, I was still on track. Or so I thought, until one seemingly insignificant thing caught my attention as I made it to my destination. No one would have noticed or thought much of it right off the bat, but the door to Cloud's office sat slightly askew. He had not yet returned, however, and only a handful of people had the means necessary to get in there.

As a precaution, I slowed my pace and peered in through the crack to see if anyone was inside. From where I stood, unfortunately no one was visible. So I opened the door as if I hadn't suspected anything at all and there behind Cloud's desk, sifting through the file cabinets was the last person I'd expect to see. He jumped slightly when the door creaked and spun around to face me. _Why is he so jumpy?_ I thought.

He sighed heavily with relief. "You startled me."

Skeptically, I approached the man but stopped at the other end of the desk. "What are you doing here?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"I wasn't expecting anyone to drop by," the man answered. Not only had he completely avoided my question, but his behavior was much too sketchy for my liking. Something was definitely not right.

Instead of pointing out my suspicion right away, I placed the files on Cloud's desk and replied with, "Well I wasn't expecting anyone to be here either." It wasn't until about halfway through the next sentence when I realized he had shoved his hand in his coat pocket. I didn't believe it at first, but anyone with eyes could see that he was handling a weapon. And before I could blink, before my mind could even process what had taken place within just a few seconds, I was staring into the barrel of a gun. "What the hell are you doing?" I asked. Inside my chest I could feel my heart beat increase by the second, hammering incessantly as my body trembled with fright.

"Something I wish I didn't have to," he replied and cocked the hammer back with his thumb. The man's tone seemed to be filled with remorse, yet it struck me as odd. And then the next thing I heard was the loud crack of gunfire. It rang in my ears with a mighty force, so loud that I hadn't yet realized that the bullet pierced somewhere on my body.

I suppose only a few moments had passed between the time when I stumbled backward and landed on the floor as a blinding, white hot pain shot like lightening through every inch of my body. I felt it in the tips of my toes and at the top of my skull. Indescribable, is probably the best word for what I was feeling. But I didn't have much time to mull over the pain. The next thing I knew, I was staring up at the man who I had once thought of as an ally. He simply glanced down at me, expressionless as before, and dropped the gun about a foot away from my head.

I flinched, thinking that it would hit me; however, it didn't and the man simply walked away. _What the hell is going on? Oh God…I can't breathe…it hurts so much. Carolyn, honey, sweetie I love you…please don't let me die. Please…_

- -

**_Cloud_**

I was about ready to meet Zack when a SOLDIER tracked me down before I even had the chance. He ran with urgency, carrying a note which the young man passed over without saluting. Not that I cared or anything, but when a message was delivered like that, it meant something was definitely wrong. I glanced at him, never saying a word, and then opened the letter without dismissing the SOLDIER. It took only a brief moment to skim through…and even less time for my stomach to drop.

_Lieutenant General Hughes has been wounded and is in intensive care at the moment. Your presence has been requested in Edge. Please return as soon as possible, _it read, or something along the lines. I wasn't too focused on each and every word. _Hughes_ and _shot_ were all I pretty much needed to know. "Sir?" the SOLDIER asked, apparently waiting for an order. He watched me curiously the whole time, perhaps wondering just exactly what the letter contained.

"Find Zack for me," I said. The SOLDIER nodded once firmly and broke into a sprint down the street back from the way he came. I, on the other hand, made my way to the room inn.

Once I made it there, I was surprised to find the man I had just sent for. He must've been there the whole time, because the dark-haired man was lounging on the bed, flipping through channels on the television when I burst through the door. The SOLDIER was surprised to see how distressed I was and I couldn't blame him for jumping up like he did. It was absolutely horrible news.

"Hey Cloud, what's wrong?" It must've been as clear as day.

"There's been an incident," I replied, going for the other bed where I had stashed my bag under. "Hughes was shot."

Zack simply frowned and watched as I edgily gathered by belongings. "What!? Who did it?"

Letting out a heavy sigh, I turned to face him once I was done. "Not sure…the letter didn't say much. He's at the hospital right now and I need to go."  
"But our ride isn't here for another…" A brief pause as he glanced at the clock on the nightstand between our beds. "Five hours."

"Well, I can't wait that long!" Without another word, I immediately grabbed my PHS to call the one and only person I knew that could get here and back to Edge before our scheduled trip to the city even arrived––Cid.

He was my one and only hope.

- -

As always, the pilot came through, arriving in Costa del Sol within an hour and heading back to the city a bit faster since we were riding with a tail wind. Zack reluctantly decided that he would stay behind with his squad, and take our planned ride home instead. There wasn't much he could do for anyone other than being there for his men. So it was probably best that he remained on the middle continent to make sure everything was as it should be. I, however, had something else to worry about.

The moment I arrived at the hospital on my own (thanks to Fenrir), I found Hughes' wife Carolyn sitting in a small waiting area wearing an expression one could not mistake for anything else. She was a complete and utter mess. Her short, sandy blonde hair was pulled into an untidy pony tail and her green eyes were beat red. She had obviously been crying, but given the amount of time that she had already been here, I figured maybe she was running low on tears.

When I walked through the door, Carolyn immediately spotted me and stood from her seat with her arms crossed around her stomach as though she was sick. "Is he alright?" was the first question out of my mouth, but her hesitation led me to think not.

"I don't know," she sighed, barely able to keep her composition. "They haven't said anything yet and it's already been three hours." For a moment we fell silent, neither of us knowing what to say or do for that matter. But before I had a chance to, she continued. "I can't believe this is happening…"

"I'm sorry," I said. It was the only thing I could offer. I wasn't expecting what she did next though. The suffering in her expression grew more apparent; she looked as if she were going to burst into tears again. And she did when she threw herself into my arms. At first I was a bit shocked by the action, but as distraught as she was, I was the only person around that she trusted enough to confide in. So I wrapped my arms around her in hopes to be of some comfort. It wasn't until (who I believed to be) the doctor of Hughes' case appeared from the hall, that we let go.

"Mrs. Hughes?" the moment she heard her name, Carolyn was all ears. "I'm Dr. Hiang."

"Is he alright?" she asked; a glimmer of hope twinkled in her eyes.

From behind us through the door as if on cue, Reeve appeared, but remained silent as he could see we were already occupied.

"Well he's stabilized for the time being," the doctor replied. "But I want to keep him in ICU just to make sure." She let out a heavy breath of relief, nearly collapsing, but managed to keep herself upright. "He's awake now; would you like to see him?"

Carolyn nodded furiously but turned to me before leaving. "Cloud," she began in a low, reticent voice. "Please find whoever did this," and immediately went off with the doctor down the hall. To my right, Reeve stood silently, watching as the two of them disappeared to the elevators. It wasn't until they were completely out of sight that he pulled me off to a less crowded area where we could speak privately.

"That was the first even Carolyn has heard anything," I said and ran a shaky hand through my hair. The dark haired man nodded in reply and stared pensively off into the room somewhere behind me. It was his silence struck me as suspicious. I wanted to know more––who had done this and _why_. "Reeve…what the hell is going on here?"

His eyes met mine and I could tell that he was having a hard time with the answer himself, but he definitely knew who the man behind all of this was. "We can't be one hundred percent sure of who the culprit is; however, I'm quite certain that I know…"

"_Who_?" The president fell silent again, which only irritated me even more; so much so that it was difficult to keep my anger at a dull roar. Who would do such a thing? And for what reason? "Tell me!"

"Reiben," was his answer, though it probably came out a little more irately than he'd hoped. It sure as hell shocked me to no end. "I checked the tapes myself, there's no mistaking it." His voice fell low and solemn, no longer filled with anger, but despair. "They just want to be sure…"

"Reiben?" I echoed, having a hard time believing it myself. Not even I had suspected anything from him, but somehow, for some reason, things were falling into place.

"I suppose he was trying to access the files as well," Reeve added.

"Where is he now?" I wondered aloud.

"No where near ShinRa HQ, I can tell you that. He escaped from the building before anyone could pin the incident on him. Perhaps he is getting as far away from Edge as he can, or…staying right under our noses, like he's been doing this whole time?"

It seemed believable enough, though one question remained; a question I knew we wouldn't obtain the answer to very easily.

_Why?_


	13. Chapter 13

- -

**The End**

**- - **

**_Cloud_**

After our talk at the hospital, Reeve excused himself to attend to a few other lingering matters over at headquarters, while I decided to leave as well, not wanting to be a bother to Hughes and his wife. It wasn't my place to be there anyway, no matter how much I knew he would insist otherwise.

Once I arrived at the bar almost twenty minutes later, I came in quietly seeing as how it was still pretty early. It was hard to believe, but nearly half a day had passed since my departure from the middle continent, and a bit longer in regards to the last time I had slept. That was all I wanted to do; curl up in bed and hope for the best. Unfortunately, not just for myself, but Tifa as well, that is not what happened.

When I stepped in through the doorway, I found her sitting at one of the tables with a mug in her hands. She barely acknowledge my arrival, at least not like she would normally, and simply glanced up at me from staring into––what seemed like––the abyss. I didn't say much either, not until Tifa started the conversation. The atmosphere between us was tense, uncomfortable at best. She never behaved this way before. In fact, I couldn't even recall a time.

Her first question was not exactly what I had hoped for, and feared the most; especially the way she went about asking as if it were no big secret. "When did you get back?" Anyone could see that it was a set up. Of course she knew the answer, but needed to hear the truth from me.

I set my bag on the table before replying and deliberately avoided eye-contact. "Earlier this morning," I replied, busying myself with some menial task. The silence returned as she drew her gaze to the mug, fingers idly stroked the white porcelain. Little did I know how fast word had spread. She knew more than I once thought.

"I heard that Cid went out there to get you. Did something happen?"

What could I offer in exchange now that I was aware she had access to the recent news? Where would I even begin?

"Everything is fine," I replied and headed for the stairs. My destination was our bedroom, hoping that maybe Tifa wouldn't pursue. She did, of course, and appeared shortly in the doorway simply watching as I tried desperately to find something that would occupy my attention. I didn't want to do this to her, to _me_––not again.

"No," Tifa said in a soft, calm voice; almost a bit too much for my liking. "Everything is not alright." It was then when I turned to face her. The room was still somewhat dark as the rising sun peered weakly through the window. I could see the concern in her glimmering eyes. They looked sad and filled with pain. No, no, no. I don't want this…

"Tifa…" was all I could muster up.

She turned away from me again.

"This has gone on long enough," the brunette sighed. As stupid as I was, the meaning behind her statement flew right over my head. Perhaps I was just being dim-witted in hopes that it would go away. All I did was stand there like an idiot. "This," Tifa repeated and turned to face me again. Her eyes were fierce this time, and angry––very, very angry though her voice did not sound it. "You're keeping everything from me, Cloud. Not that every little detail matters, but the _important_ stuff! I'm tired of it. I hate having to hear second hand about where you are from your secretary, or about what injury you've sustained this time. Is it too much to ask for a measly call from _you_?"

As much as I dreaded to admit how terrible the situation had spiraled without having acknowledged it, I knew she was right; maybe a little too right. But I didn't want to deal with it then. There was no turning back, no matter how much I wished so. There was no way out of this one. "Tifa, I…"

…I honestly didn't know what to say in my defense, and the silence wasn't helping either. If anything, it made my faltering even worse.

"You what?"

The silence increased and seemingly the only response I could give. I felt guilty not being able to explain my feelings. However, I had to try, for her at least. She deserved an explanation. "…I just want to protect you," was all I could say, as unbelievable as it sounded. It didn't really matter at that point.

A frown washed over her face. "Protect me?" she repeated, and laughed. "You're not _protecting_ me, Cloud. If anything, you're doing the exact opposite! I can't help but worry about you; especially when I have _no_ idea what's going on." The brunette stepped closer, still glaring, intent on getting her point across. "Do you even know how much it hurts to be pushed away like this? All I wanted was a little communication, but you couldn't even give me that…"

Again, my lack of excuses haunted me. She dropped her gaze that time as if admitting defeat and all I could think of was to follow my instincts. If only I could just hold her. If I told her that I loved her, maybe it would all disappear…? My instincts _seemed_ right on the dot, as I reached out to take her into my arms––I was surprised, though, when Tifa pulled away.

"No," she spoke in a more firm tone. "I'm done."

_Done? _I thought. _Done with what?_

"Tifa…"

"No,****Cloud. Not this time."

My arms fell to my sides when I realized she wasn't just angry, but beyond. As quickly as this had unraveled before me, I began to understand the reason why. It hurt so badly; the muscles in my chest tightened without mercy. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to ask for forgiveness yet something deep within me decided against it.

There were no more questions to be asked; no more confusion, for that matter. The idea of Tifa and me…was over.

In that same, deafening silence, I turned to the door without saying a word to walk passed her, my arm brushed lightly against her shoulder as I exited the room. She didn't say anything in her defense, didn't chase after me; another indication that only assured me that her decision was _real_. I made it all the way to Fenrir, but stopped one last time in an attempt to convince myself that I was simply dreaming.

There was nothing, though. And then next moment I found myself rushing through the city.

- -

**_Zack_**

****

I arrived in Edge a bit earlier than expected, which gave me some time to get business done without cutting things short. Before the sun appeared over the horizon, my tasks for the day had been taken care of, so with the extra time I had, I decided to check and see if Cloud was still around.

He wasn't in his office; the first place I went to check. None of the other employees had seen him either, nor Reeve for that matter; at least not after having left the hospital beforehand. This worried me to an extent, but not to the point where I would start to panic. I still had a few more areas to check; the one place I figured he wouldn't be, though it was worth a try in any case.

To my surprise, the door was unlocked upon arrival. I waltzed in there as I had done a countless number of times in the past. And much to my surprise sat Cloud at the edge of the couch in his office with an expression that made my heart drop. He looked a bit more pale than usual, just staring off into oblivion. It wasn't until I said something that he acknowledged my presence, almost as if he didn't know…

"Hey," I said, managing a weak smile. To my right on the floor was the blood stain near Cloud's desk. It was taped off of course and the entire room was considered a crime scene. "I wasn't expecting to find you here." **Lie.**

The blond stood from the sofa to make his way around the coffee table to the window. He didn't answer right away, which bothered me even more, but I couldn't exactly force out an answer. "Yeah," was his reply. The manner and tone, however, is what worried me most. I had heard earlier that Hughes was alright and expected to live; so the chance that he was upset about that seemed rather ridiculous. It had to be something else…

"Is…everything okay?" With his back facing me, Cloud leaned let out a soft sigh and dropped his head. I approached a few steps and stopped in the middle of the room. "Cloud, what's the matter? Is Hughes alright?" With what signals he was giving off, it was hard to make an assumption. I figured guessing the obvious route might bring about an answer, but that wasn't it at all.

"It's over," the blond finally answered. Although confusing, I remained silent in hopes that he would continue to explain. "Between Tifa and me."

It came as a shock at first, to hear such horrible news. After everything that he had suffered through before this––there was no end in sight. I didn't know how to respond if there was anything I could do for that matter. Trying to console him with words seemed like a dead-end, so I ditched that route.

Before I even had a chance, he turned to me. The look on his face was not as painful as I expected it would be. In fact, if I wasn't mistaken, he seemed more disappointed than distraught about the whole thing. There was something I couldn't pinpoint that struck me as odd in his expression, like he should be more upset than this. But it wasn't my place to be making such a judgment. I'm sure he had his reasons.

"Cloud…"

I was interrupted. "Don't worry about it," he said. "You should go back to the bar."

Nothing sounded better than being able to go home and get into bed, but I wasn't convinced that that was the right thing to do at the moment.

Instead, I laughed. "How can you say that?"

"Because, I…I just need to be alone right now." He paused briefly. "Yeah," the blond nodded. "Tifa probably needs someone more than I do…" His comment was peculiar to say the least, only adding to my curiosity. However, he made it to the door before I could object. "I'll be in my room," he said, referring to the living quarters provided by the base. I didn't want to chase after him though, knowing that if I did, it would be futile. There was no mistaking that Cloud had been affected by what happened. Surely somewhere deep down inside he felt some grief for the death of a once beautiful connection…

As suggested by the General himself, I headed to the bar immediately after stepping out of his quarters. Luckily for me, those pricks from old ShinRa stashed my personal bike away in a storage unit that hadn't been completely demolished during the meteor crisis, and restored it for my own use as an apology of sorts. All I really cared about was that it ran well, looked good and got me where I needed to go.

When I arrived, I noticed that Tifa had not opened the bar yet, even though it was well past time for a Friday. I couldn't blame her in any case after what had just happened. She seemed to be handling it pretty well at first, when I walked through the doorway. She stood behind the counter, a little more irate than usual, washing a few mugs and glanced up at me as if it were Cloud who had stepped in. Once the brunette realized that it was not Spike, she turned her attention back to the sink and continued to scrub a bit less vigor.

After a few moments of silence, Tifa turned off the faucet, having completed her task, and dried her hands on a towel nearby. It was then when I took a chance in opening my mouth. "Are you alright?" seemed like the most neutral thing one could say. Trying to sound impartial but supportive was hard.

"So you heard?" I could sense that this wasn't going to go well either.

"Yeah," I repeated and approached her. She finally stopped busying herself with miniscule tasks and just stood there for a moment. This was my chance. "Well then, are you?"

Tifa replied with a heavy sigh having dropped her tough façade and glanced up at me, but this time with tears welling in her eyes. She then took a seat at one of the tables and I joined, sitting right next to her a respectable distance away. "No," she answered. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but there was no avoiding it."

What could I say? Not much, it seemed.

"…I just wish maybe he would have defended himself and us a little bit more..."

"Tifa…I'm sorry," I said, but she just let out a sarcastic chuckle and shook her head.

"What do you have to be sorry for? I should have known this was too good to be true." Not a moment later and those tears that had been welling in her eyes became just too much to bear. She burst into a violent sob, turning her head away as if ashamed. It was only natural that I took her into my arms; how could I _not_ comfort her at a time like this?

We sat there for quite some time until the tears began to run dry. Eventually Tifa pulled away from my snug embrace, maybe realizing how uncomfortable and awkward the situation might've been and stood from the table. "You know that Cloud loves you," I told her.

The fighter stopped in her tracks at the foot of the stairs and turned to face me. She didn't reply right away, but took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I know," Tifa said. "Just…not in the way I had hoped. I can't help him like you can." She didn't even bother to wait for a reply (like I had one in the first place), and continued on her way upstairs leaving me at a complete loss.


	14. Chapter 14

(**Authors Note:** I got a review asking if this was a repost, so to answer your question: no, the most recent update was not a repost. I'd replaced a few chapters that'd been edited, so that's probably why some of you are confused. I've just reposted it elsewhere so I figured I'd do it here, too. Anyway, this is the next installment. Please enjoy!)

- -

**Downtime**

- -

**_Hughes_**

When I woke, I woke to the feel of a needle piercing the soft part of the skin on the inside of my arm, and I nearly clubbed the nurse who was fixing the IV, which she dodged in time, thankfully. Although she said it was a reaction that happened at times, I still felt bad and settled back into the pillow that propped me upright in my hospital bed. To be honest, I wasn't all that sure where I was in the first place, until it all came rushing back to me in the form of a shooting pain––left temple. It made my stomach drop, to the point where I nearly vomited and warned the nurse of this sudden onset of nausea, though it passed a few moments later. And yet the funny thing was, I had already been there for two days, through the same routine, at the same time of day.

"It happens," the nurse told me with an sympathetic smile­­––I caught a glance of her name tag that read 'Connie' as she scuffled across the room back to my bedside. "Once your body gets used to the medication and we lower the dosage, you'll be on your feet again." It sure as hell didn't feel like that, however, and I let out a heavy sigh in response. She just laughed as if to make the situation a little more lighthearted and said, "Your wife is waiting outside with the kids. Should I let them in?" By the look of surprise on my face, I'd unknowingly answered her question and Connie nodded and pushed her way out of the room. A few moments later the door flew open and in rushed the oldest.

"Daddy!" she cried happily, darting for the bed. Her mother, carrying our youngest––who looked a little nervous­­––stepped into the room with a smile though I knew she didn't feel that way on the inside. "Mommy said you hurt your head…"

I managed a smirk despite the words coming from my daughter's mouth and reached to find her hand. "Yeah, daddy did hurt his head, but he'll be okay."

"She's been a tough girl for her brother," Carolyn mentioned as she pulled up a chair to sit in.

"But mommy's tough, too!"

All of this talk and I could hardly contain the tears that stung my eyes. I didn't want to appear any weaker than I already was in front of my children, or my wife, but the hardest thing to do was to watch them knowing their father had almost been taken away. And the look that Carolyn hid just under the surface…I wanted to grab hold of her in a tight embrace, wanted to apologize even though none of this was my fault.

But I couldn't do that. It wasn't the time nor the place and most definitely _not_ in front of the children. And it's not as though I had much of a choice with the condition I was in; another reason they didn't stay too long. After the kids started getting rowdy and more comfortable with the fact that they could be certain their father was still alive, Carolyn knew she had to get them home. As much as I wished they could've stayed, my medication was starting to kick in at full speed, and like a train it hit me as I struggled to stay coherent. The nurse then returned to watch the rest of my family say their goodbyes and promises to return again the next day, and I was gone within moments.

For quite some time it stayed that way. The next thing I knew, as I peeled open my weary eyes; it was night in the city, sunlight no longer shone into the window.

I'd also gotten rather sore from being in bed, motionless, for too long and tried desperately to move into a more comfortable position. It seemed one of the nurses' had come in while I was asleep seeing as how the pain lingered at a dull throb and I mostly felt as though the room was spinning. That is when the door to my room opened slowly, quietly, a little too suspicious for my liking to be any one of the hospital staff. When out of the shadows, a familiar spiky-headed blond stepped in.

"What're you doing here?" I hissed, warning him about the fact that visiting hours were long over, but he simply shut the door behind him.

"I wanted to see how you're doing," he said, approaching my bedside. "You're still alive."

"Of course I am," I snapped and shifted again. "You'll get caught you know."

"Don't worry about it. One of the nurses knows already."

"Well now that I know you've got a look out, how is everything going?"

The blond sighed before answering, probably humored by the fact I was more concerned about what was happening outside of the hospital, and took a seat in the chair Carolyn previously sat in. "After hearing about what'd happened to you? It's pretty grim."

"But I survived, so you shouldn't worry about me. I'm talking about the investigation. What happened in Costa Del Sol?"

"Nothing. The monsters've been dealt with. In fact, I rushed back a few hours early when I got the news. Basically, we're still not sure about much of anything at this point. We don't know where the monsters are coming from, who's behind this or why they're even attacking."

Then I saw it. Fleeting and nearly overlooked, I noticed something in the General's eyes that caught my suspicion. That wasn't _all_ he'd come for, not bloody likely.

"…And where is Reiben?"

He couldn't have done anything in reply that would've surprised me, knowing, by the look on his face, that I'd confirmed the answer he was looking for. Though disappointed and furious, Cloud had his man…so to speak.

"We're not sure," he sighed, leaning back. "Reeve said that he escaped before anyone could notice or even pin the act on him. He must be long gone by now."

Needless to say, I could've figured that one out by the lack of change in his dreary atmosphere. Cloud wasn't the kind of guy to go worrying about the petty things if there were bigger issues at hand. So I could tell right away that once I got out of that hospital bed, we'd still be facing the problem that'd gotten me there in the first place. But our confidential conversation couldn't last for very long when the door opened from behind. A nurse walked in, most likely the one on guard.

"The doctor is making his rounds," she said.

Cloud reluctantly stood from the chair to heed this warning and assured me that I'd be back on my feet in no time. Although the prospect of that statement was spoken with certainty, my concern seemed to be more focused on just how fast the investigation had begun to roll downhill. I wouldn't let him know this, of course, as it was my job to lend all of the help I could possibly give; besides the fact that he had other significant things on his mind worth more attention. So the blond left just as quickly as he'd come, and the nurse tended to her duties in preparation for the doctor's arrival. And I sat there in bed left with my thoughts to ponder.

- -

**_Holt_**

_That's it. Steady…keep calm…and––_

_ SCRREEECH._

It crushed right in my hand; the liquid spilled everywhere but into the small test tube, and even a piece of glass had wedged itself into my hand. Not to mention the fact that my heart was pounding like crazy, startled by the deafening shriek made by the door which had just been forced opened. I found myself panicking at first, and quickened the pace in order to clean up the mess I'd made. But when that familiar face waltzed in through the doorway I felt a bit less nervous knowing that it was not the General whose return I was dreading.

This normally calm, calculated and collected man rushed into the room in a frenzy at his wits end. I could barely get a coherent thought out of him when I tried, and it seemed as though any efforts were futile. It wasn't until his eyes caught sight of how much progress I'd made through the night that he began to communicate.

Laughter is his first response––overjoyed, yet I am the complete opposite. Each and every thought in my mind fell reminiscent to some formula, theory, hypothesis, calculation; trial and error…the data is then sifted through and repeated several times over. Mounds upon mounds of information lay stored in my head yet I was no where near the level of completion or achievement I'd strived to reach. And what was it all for? To hide away in the shadows of some dark and dreary room, that which I would undoubtedly make my coffin.

_Work, work, work._

_ Have you got it?  
Is it ready?_

___ It is, it is…_

Snatched from my hands and into another's glory.

That would change soon enough.

_- -_

_****__Cloud_

Tired and frustrated, I slapped the folder down onto the desk that was scattered with several others; each one of them read and reread several times over. I'd been through them so many times before, yet nothing new had revealed itself to me. So there I sat, back at square one, struggling desperately to find a connection between what information we had and the information we didn't.

By that point in time there was nothing more than I wanted to do other than give up; perhaps not completely, but until another piece of the puzzle presented itself. I was at a complete loss, not sure of where to go or what to look for, and the prospect of finding any sort of good news seemed scarce. It was there than I found myself slumped in the chair, tapping the end of a pencil against the desk––lost in a mess of thought.

Of course, I didn't hear the door open to my left, and I didn't notice that Zack had made his way inside until he spoke up.

"So this is what the General does when he's all alone," the dark-haired man said with a playful smirk. _Smart ass_, I thought, and sat upright. But before I could reply to his remark, I noticed a piece of paper in his hand that caught my interest instead.

"What's that?"

Zack lifted the paper slightly. "This? Oh, that's nothing. But feast your eyes," he began, leaning in over the desk to dangle a set of keys in front of my face, "On these."

My first reaction was silence as they could've been for pretty much anything, though it seemed he wanted me to play into his little game by guessing­­––or asking, at least.

"What are they for?"

"My new place of course," he said and took a seat on the edge of the desk, after scooting the mound of papers out of the way.

"New place?" I repeated, still somewhat lost in the mess of things.

"Yeah! Don't you remember? That first day we had to go through a whole lot of paperwork to request a livable quarters, and they said they weren't sure how long it would take, but it's finally ready now."

I could vaguely recall mentioning it, although it didn't really seem to matter all that much seeing as how excited he was to have finally… Yes, that's right…

"So you're out of the bar…?"

"Yeah," Zack nodded; his tone slowly filled with concern and uncertainty. After only a day or so, there was no surprise that he'd be a bit hesitant to bring up such a sensitive matter. It was unavoidable, though. "Tifa insisted that I stay, but it was for the best. I told her it would've happened sooner or later."

True, he couldn't've continued to bunk in the children's room for much longer, but I was a found myself focused on a different matter––unable to hold back my curiosity.

"…How is Tifa?"

"She's okay. She said she was thinking of going back to Kalm to see the kids."

I figured that thought would have crossed her mind eventually, and seemed reasonable enough after what had happened between us, now that she felt she was no longer in a position to continue chasing after me with futile results. But before I could sink any deeper into the guilt I felt rising, Zack decided it best to change the subject.

"I heard you snuck into the hospital last night. How is Hughes doing?"

"He seemed fine. I don't know the extent of his injury, but he was acting like his old self when I got there."

"Well good. He should be back on his feet in no time," the SOLDIER said with a smile. He was soon taken by surprise, however, when I suddenly stood from my chair to make a beeline for the door. "Hey, where are you going?"

I'd been searching for an escape and found it, successfully, in him; snatching it away greedily as if another would never present itself again.

"I want to see this place of yours," I said, quickly returning on my journey, with Zack hot on my trail.

- -

(**PS.** Just wanted to apologize for the briefness of this chapter. Not that I suppose it's necessary, but the other ones have been a bit longer. I've been at a loss, basically, coming to a point in the story where I had left off with uncertainty. But I'm trying to work out the kinks on my own, so that is also a process in and of itself. I'm also hoping that I can find a beta sometime soon. I'm gonna need one in the future for what I plan on next. Also, after some speculation and theorizing about the newly released Crisis Core, there will also––most likely–– contain spoilers from that as well. It really just depends, though, if I want to use theories I've come up with instead of facts. We'll see. Just a heads up.

Anyway, hopefully I'll get this next chapter up sooner! It's already written out, but it needs some serious editing. I'll try my best since I've got another two weeks until classes start again. I want to get the ball rolling on this one as fast as I can before I become swamped with homework and the like.

Oh, and thanks to those of you who've stuck with the story over such a long time. I really appreciate the reviews. They lend much help.)


	15. Chapter 15

(**Author's Note:** This is where the Crisis Core (and FFVII) spoilers come into play. They may not be terribly spoilish, but you may or may not be confused as to who some of the people/person(s) named later on in the chapter. So for those of you who want to play the game but do not want to be spoiled, please refrain from reading this chapter. In fact, I'm quite sure there will be more to come.)

- -

**A Triumphant Return**

**- - **

**_Holt_**

I had been at it for hours––_days_ and yet there was still nothing. No word from Reiben and no success with the experiment either. Yet I'd followed every single step, every little note scribbled on every single sheet of paper in those files; everything to a T and not a God damn thing.

_How? Where? What've I missed? There's got to be something…!_

It must have been over a hundred times that I scrutinized each and every word written in front of me. And with the lack of communication from the man who had made it all possible, who promised me recognition in the first place, I was beginning to lose hope. Perhaps I would never be as skilled and brilliant as my predecessor? Perhaps this was nothing but a lost cause?

With a sigh, I slumped over the counter to cup my face in my hands, running aching fingers through my greasy, unclean hair. Three days. Three days and not a wink of sleep, hardly any food and no shower either.

Even the silence grew louder and louder as the seconds ticked on. Tick, _tick_, _TICK._ Each one more distinct than the last. They pounded mercilessly in my skull, reverberated off the walls…everywhere…**harder**_, louder…_

Then it came; a familiar noise that grasped the tip of my attention and made my heart nearly jump out of my throat. Though almost inaudible, I could've sworn it was coming from behind. My weary yet vigilant gaze scanned the room for where it could possibly be coming from, and when the noise became louder, more distinct, they fell upon the glass casing up against the wall behind me that held the one enigma I could not unfold.

And all I could do was stare…with wide eyes and a slack jaw as the chipping quickened; the cracks spread like lightning across the surface and the glass finally crushed under the pressure. For whatever reason, it had done it on its own. All around the cement floor, and my feet, the liquid came rushing. It settled after a few moments, nearly covering the entire room, even spilling into the hall, but I still couldn't move––too shocked to do anything else,

One step out of the case, right onto the shards of glass that littered the floor below him came a bare foot. It did not faze the man, did not slow him down one bit. Instead, he crossed the room without even flinching as if there was nothing at all. Before my mind could register what my eyes were seeing, a hand slowly came up to wrap tightly around my throat.

I couldn't even manage to think of anything else in that particular moment other than …it worked.

There it was standing right before me; that piercing gaze I'd heard so much about before. And then the pain set in, blood rushed to my head as his grip tightened. I was pressed up against the wall with my throat being crushed and at that moment is when I knew I would soon depart from this life.

"Who are you?" he asked; voice deep and low.

I could barely even breathe much less give an answer. At my lack of one––choking on the words––that powerful hand squeezed even more, forcing my hands in an automatic attempt to reach up and take a hold of his forearm in hopes of finding some leverage.

He didn't bother to ask the question again, as I somehow managed to spit out my name. It sounded rather garbled, though. "Hh-Houlllt…I'm uhh…p–prof…fesarhh…" But of course, he could see that.

It was only a matter of time before I began to struggle, pleading with my body in hopes that he would release or perhaps simply relax his grip just a bit. No such luck.

"And where am I, professor?"

This time, the answer spewed forth. "_Midgarruinss_…"

At that moment…at long last, his grip let up. Though not entirely, it was enough for my body to begin recovering from the obstruction of air, and enough that I thought perhaps I wouldn't die after all. I noticed that his eyes shot to the right, catching a glimpse of the files and papers scattered about the counter top, and the insignia of the source in which they came from––**ShinRa**. I had little time to realize it when that fierce glare returned, somehow, even more intense than before. My heart skipped a beat and then hammered incessantly in my chest. And then I was rising, steadily, up the wall; the bolts which held in place the support beams tore through my white lab coat into my skin; the feel of my throat crushing under the incredible pressure.

I was finished. All of it for nothing.

_At least_, I thought, _I could die by the hand of my own accomplishment_

- -

**ShinRa HQ**

**32 Hours Later**

"You want them to _what_!?" one of them yelped.

Joined with the President, Zack and Cloud, were two men that Reeve had worked with a numerous amount of times before, and were to serve as replacement right-hand men after the loss of their previous superior.

"After what happened the first time," the other, higher ranked, began, "You're willing to send your best man out there again? They didn't find anything during the primary sweep, so what's the point now?"

"You gentlemen are failing to remember a rather important piece of information here. They never finished their investigation. Besides, there were so many questions that went unanswered, like what can we make of why the monsters were drawn to that specific location? There must be something we missed, and with all that has happened between that time and now…" As Reeve's tone became more serious and filled with frustration, the two men backed off while Cloud and Zack sat unwavering in their seats. It was clear that the President had made his point, and there would be no more objections. "I've prepared a team of men should something––God forbid––go wrong again. The area has been scanned in search of any lingering monsters and we've been given the go ahead. If you two are all set, there are only a few things we need to finish in the meantime. The SOLDIERs will be ready by noon so that gives you some time to get organized."

§

With his own tasks to finish, Zack left the blond to himself while Reeve attended the remaining business. Cloud, in the interim, found himself slightly unnerved about the whole thing, as a wave of memories crashed over his already racing mind. Although the attack had been unexpected and quick, it was frightening to say the least; he wasn't entirely fearless. But knowing that Zack would be with him this time around gave the General a sense of peace…

With his mind off on a tangent, Cloud ended up back in his office just briefly after departing from the rest of the crowd. He wasn't expecting, however, to walk in and find Hughes sitting at his desk with a paper and pen in hand. The brunet glanced up quickly, embarrassed almost, to find a curious Cloud approaching him.

"What are you doing here?" Cloud asked.

Hughes chuckled nervously in reply, then stood from the chair. "The doctor said I was making a great recovery and decided to let me go early." A pause. "Well¸ I was hell bent on getting out of there, and I may've made a big deal out of it, but he's confident I'll be fine if I don't push myself too hard for now." The blond was glad to hear good news for once and glanced at the piece of paper Hughes was writing on beforehand. A quick glance over his shoulder and the Lt. General fielded that unspoken question. "Oh that? I was just going to leave you a note, but now that you're here…"

"We're going back to the ruins," Cloud interjected, catching the brunet off guard, apparent by his wide-eyed expression.

"…When was this decided?"

"Just now, I guess. Reeve insisted that we head back there to finish the investigation."

"But, what about––"

"––It's fine."

"Aren't you worried?"

"Of course I'm worried, but we still haven't even scratched the surface." Hughes knew that; for sure. He just hated that the General had to have a point, and a good one at that. "I know it's dangerous, and we'll be even more aware of that now. But if we don't go back down there, we may miss something."

True. Too damn true yet it had already been set in stone. The only thing he knew he could do was, as always, tag along and hope for the best.

- -

Inside, and nothing­––just like the last time.

"We're descending the trail," Zack said. A step-by-step strategy had been strongly encouraged.

"Copy that."

Behind the SOLDIER, his steps cautious yet determined; each and every fiber of the General's being remained on high alert. If there was anything he could do to prevent another accident from happening, it would involve every cunning bone in his body.

"So far so good," the dark-haired man continued.

Surely the fact that things had not taken a turn for the worst was merely a coincidence or some mysterious luck by the hand of fate; Cloud managed to assure himself of that. There had to be _something_ waiting, he thought. It only made itself all too present in the pit of his gut. But whatever it was, it never came. The anticipation that Cloud struggled to suppress never reared its ugly head; at least, not in the way he thought it would. Or perhaps he had been _too_ on guard, heightening his nerves enough that it seemed irrational, so much so that when he lost his footing on a loose piece of metal, it came with expectance, and his heart skipped a beat.

Just as his body began to topple over itself, a hand reached out, grabbed his wrist and––although too late keep their balance––pulled him into the safety of strong and protective arms. They fell hard and they fell fast; tumbling down the trail they were on the path to descend, finally coming to a rest at the top of their destination. Once the dust and debris that followed had settled around and below, it took a moment for either one of them to regain their senses. Zack was the first. He pushed himself slowly upright, clearly pained from the fall on such dangerous terrain, still lying on top of the blond and staring down with that familiar look of concern in his eyes through that frown.

"Are you alright?" Zack asked, though the blond thought he should be the one asking that. Cloud could only stare back, completely shocked by what had just happened and the fact that the dark-haired man was laying on top of him. And then the SOLDIER got up, shakily at first, to his feet to extend a hand.

Muffled and barely audible voices could be heard; the ear pieces ripped from their positions.

"You're bleeding," Cloud pointed out to the significant amount of blood streaming down the side of Zack's left arm and brow. Tiny pieces of cement had stuck from the force of the fall into his skin and clothing, but it was no matter.

"I'm okay," the SOLDIER replied and placed the ear piece back into his ear. He was greeted by piercing shouts from Hughes. "We're okay. It was just a fall. Everything's fine." Of course, Cloud wouldn't push at it any more. Zack seemed so certain that everything would be alright, and if Zack wasn't worried then there was no reason for him to be as well. "Let's go." With a nod, Cloud continued on their way in front with Zack following behind.

As the door screeched open, a familiar ache twitched in the muscles of his abdomen, mainly in the tender part of his torso as his mind raced to the moment he was attacked. It was still fresh and _vivid_––almost as if it was playing out in front of him; the otherworldly snarl; that stench…

_Get it together…_

Although brief, the General managed to fight off those unpleasant feelings to regain his senses. Zack had already proceeded down the hall passed him, checking every room on his way there. But just as he expected, deep down inside, there was nothing––nothing at all. No monsters lurked about in the shadows, and no clues lay in the open.

"Hey Cloud?" From the last room on the left is where the blond found Zack a few minutes later. "Come take a look at this."

Not knowing what to expect, Cloud walked into the room thinking perhaps it was something that might lead them to discover more about the monsters. But as his gaze fell upon the room and its contents, he did a double take, as if doubting his own vision.

Everything. Each and every item that had gone missing, the files, _everything_…it was all there.

"What? What is it?" Hughes chimed in.

"Exactly what we were looking for," Cloud replied. "Equipment, files…you name it, it's here."

As the General busied himself with browsing through the papers, in another corner of the room, Zack inspected something else. "And him," he added. Completely ignoring what was piled on the counter, Cloud turned to face where the dark-haired man was kneeling only to be shocked even further. "Holt."

Through the ear piece, "The Professor?"

The blond knelt down on the other side before giving an answer and gave the lifeless corpse a quick once over. "Yeah, looks like someone might've snapped his neck. There're bruises around his throat and..." Blood on the floor. "Some other wounds we can't see."

"It hasn't been that long either," Zack noted, referring to the stench with a frown. "Day or two at the most."

Cloud stood up to walk over to the wall as his attention lingered to the mess on the floor. A capsule, broken at that, stood towering over the floor littered with shards of glass and traces of debris left behind by a mysterious liquid. A sigh sounded softly over the ear piece as Hughes absorbed the news. "Alright," the Lieutenant General began, "I'm sending some men down there to retrieve the body...so just, hang tight."

- -

**ShinRa HQ**

––Conference Room––

"I don't get it. He was conducting experiments down there but why, and on_ what_?" one of the men from behind said. His colleague sat next to him, speaking up when the other finished.

"Whatever it was it's killed one of the men involved _and_ escaped. And now I'm going to have to fend off the press since you guys decided to go digging around the ruins again."

"And Reiben is still at large," the other one added. He then turned to look at the General who had drifted off into a daze, snapping angrily at his superior with a gutsy inquiry. "You haven't said anything. What do _you_ make of this?"

Cloud had never been one to boast about his position, and even brushed off the rude manner in which the man barked at him. He was much too concerned about the sinking feeling he felt present in his chest to get angry at something so significant. "I don't know," Cloud murmured and shook his head. "There's obviously something we're missing."

"Well that's just great," the man scoffed, and fell angrily back into his chair. "A psychopathic murderer is on the loose and we've got no idea where he's headed or what he plans to do when he gets there."

"Alright that's enough," Reeve growled, smacking the table hard with his palms as he shot up from his seat. It was a rarity to see the man so angered, but he could no longer let the charade of a meeting continue as it was. "We're not going to get anywhere running out mouths like this. For now, this meeting is adjourned until further notice." He turned his attention to the two men sitting at his left. "Cloud, Zack, you're dismissed." And then left. "You two, keep your butts parked in those chairs."

§

On a b-line back to his quarters, the blond strode swiftly down the hall with Zack hot on his tail. Neither of them said a word to each other, at least not until they were alone where they could speak privately.

"You shouldn't let those idiots get to you, Cloud," Zack said as he shut the door behind them, though it seemed as if his words went in one ear and out the other. The lack of a reply and sudden change of subject only proved his assumption.

"There's something I didn't mention at the meeting," Cloud said and turned to face the dark-haired man. The SOLDIER simply stared. "It's different this time; not like last. It just feels…off."

This sudden, almost eerie expression that the blond wore took Zack by surprise. The only thing he could do in response was chuckle nervously. "…Is…that a good thing?"

"I'm not sure," the blond sighed, eyes wandering up the SOLDIER's wounded arm. Ribbons of dried blood stuck to the skin of his brow along with a thin coating of dust and debris to accompany it. "You should get that checked out."

"What, this? Nah, I'm fine. Nothin' a good shower won't fix."

For a moment all Cloud could do was hesitate. Why was he feeling so nervous? Like the many times before he felt in the older man's presence, it was not the comfort he once knew; this was an entirely different feeling, the opposite­­. "Zack, I…wanted to thank you for what you did back there. You didn't have to go and get yourself hurt like that."

"Don't mention it," the dark-haired said with a smile. It couldn't have been any more blatantly obvious how anxious the General was, but Zack wasn't about ready to call him out on it or push the subject even further. Even he was beginning to sense the uneasiness in the atmosphere. No, this was no time to concern either of them with what was out of their control. He had a better idea. "Hey listen. Why don't I get cleaned up and bring back some food? You could use a night to relax since there's not much we can do now, right?"

It sounded tempting despite how riddled with uncertainty and apprehension his mind was. But every inch of Cloud's body ached from the mere mental aspect and every other; a break sounded like heaven. Food sounded even better. He wouldn't dare object.

§

As promised, an hour later, clean and smiling, Zack returned with his arms full of take-out. The mass amount of food, however, was devoured in but minutes, leaving both of them stuffed and more drained than before.

"Ahh! I ate _way_ too much," Zack huffed as he fell back into the couch cushions. Cloud on the other hand, had thrown the towel in way before; his body too exhausted to continue with even the simplest task of chewing.

"Your stomach is an abyss," the blond muttered.

"Well I couldn't let it go to waste."

To himself, Cloud continued, "I don't know where it all goes..." The playful teasing fell silent when Zack began to surf through the channels on the television, but he stopped abruptly at the sight of a familiar program.

"Uwaah!? They still play this show? Man, it's been a while."

"Unno," Cloud mumbled. "Don'watch much TV…" As the short-lived excitement settled, the dark-haired man returned to his previous position only to have Cloud fall against his shoulder––asleep.

"Hey , don't you wanna––" He couldn't very well wake the sleeping General, as tired and downright adorable as Zack thought he looked. And Cloud seemed to be comfortable enough in the spot he'd settled in, so Zack grabbed the blanket that hung over the back of the couch to drape over the blond.

It didn't take long for the SOLDIER to realize just how tired he was, too; eventually drifting into a light slumber propped up the way he was on the couch with the television humming softly in the background. He could've slept anywhere if he had to.

A good couple of hours passed before either of them woke up; the first one being Cloud.

Like any other day, he shot upright in a panic––this time, however, unable to recall the dream that undoubtedly plagued his mind. What intrigued him the most was the fact that it did not feel the same as every other dream. No, this time it was different. It wasn't until the thing he'd fallen asleep on shifted under him, when Cloud realized it was Zack. He couldn't have been any more embarrassed, cheeks flushed a shade of red. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, and having fallen, sometime in his sleep, on the man's lap, too.

All Zack could manage was a muffled and drowsy response as his body began to wake up. While on the other hand, at the worst possible time the blond felt those feelings rise again. He was hot, sweating almost, and his heart pounded loudly in his chest. He needed to get up. On the table…yes, he began to pick up the empty food cartons, busying himself with cleaning in hopes that Zack might not have noticed this suspicious behavior. But the SOLDIER, like the considerate guy he was, decided to help with clean up as well.

"Feelin' any better?"

From the kitchen, Cloud replied, "I guess."

"…I woulda woke you up, but you looked so peaceful," Zack said, now behind the blond in the tiny kitchen––a little too close for comfort. "Well, either way. You should get some proper rest." At last, some breathing room as the dark-haired man made his way back into the living room to gather his belongings. But as he made his way to the front door, the General felt a pang in his chest; that familiar feeling of guilt and secrecy he felt in Costa del Sol on the beach–– isolation––knowing this would be his only chance to act upon what he knew had to mean _something._

With his hand already on the knob, the SOLDIER paused at such a pathetic plea, "Wait," and turned to face the blond rushing him. "I'm so stupid," Cloud murmured, unable to look the other man in the eyes.

And he knew it, too. As clear as day standing in front of him, Zack faced the moment he knew he would have to eventually for some time; worrying, wondering, anticipating… Still, his act was completely oblivious. "What're you talking about?"

Even Cloud knew it, but it was simply a matter of now or never. He would have to _say_ it clearly; for Zack and for himself. "I really thought I'd lost you for good. And after such a long time, I even thought I'd found a place where I could finally begin to accept it. But now that you're here standing in front of me again…I thought I'd never be able to tell you. It's like my world's been turned upside down."

"…Tell me what?"

Although it seemed daring, _insane_ to say the least, he couldn't help but fight the growing desire to just blurt it out. If there was one thing he could do to answer that question, it was exactly what he had been afraid of doing for quite some time. But it was all he could think of. No longer harboring the fear that boiled in the pit of his stomach, Cloud embraced it, took a step forward, raised himself a bit to meet the other man's height, and pressed his lips against Zack's.

The kiss lasted longer than anticipated, as Cloud figured his friend would've immediately pulled away. They were _just friends_ before, but now this? When had it changed?

Coming flat down on his feet, the General hung his head, avoiding that bright blue gaze he knew would pierce right through the very fabric of his soul. At that point he wished he'd never done such a stupid thing, in his position, the boundaries of their friendship…so much to consider in such little time.

"…Cloud," the voice spoke. It was calm and soft, not like what the blond expected it would sound like. In fact, Zack hadn't yet responded in such a way that the General thought he would, though there was still time. "Look at me."

He'd always managed to hold some sort of power over the younger man that Cloud couldn't fight against even if he wanted to. Their eyes met again but it was Zack who initiated the contact this time around. Less hesitant on his part and long-lasting, the kiss was sweeter; so much so that it pulled at his heart like some amazing dream––surreal, _amazing_, yet only for a moment.

Cloud found himself back pressed up against the wall near the door when the kiss was broken. He didn't want to be far from the older man and instinctively wrapped his arms around Zack's shoulders. It just felt _right…_pressed against that warm, firm body.

Somewhat nervously, the dark-haired man chuckled in reply. This caught the General off guard until Zack began to explain his reasons for doing so. "I can't believe this," he began. "Here I was wondering why I got jealous when I saw you together with Tifa." This confession took Cloud by surprise. "I thought maybe it was because I didn't have anyone. Angeal, Sephiroth…Aeris…they're all gone––everything about me had vanished, except you." They briefly pulled apart so that their eyes could meet. "Cloud…"

The way he spoke his name, the look in his eyes, the pain that undoubtedly plagued his heart.

_So selfish all this time,_ the blond thought. _When all the while, Zack…I'm sorry…_

He took his hand in the other man's and led them both into the back room without saying a word. It was dark in there, but with enough light from outside so they could make out each other. At the foot of his bed, Zack took Cloud into his arms, resuming what they had briefly put on hold in the living room––a kiss, even hungrier than before; needy; impulsive. It didn't matter what they had between them from that moment before. The truth had come forth and both men embraced it with vigor and passion.

Soon to follow after kicking off his shoes came their shirts, and then they were on Cloud's bed, inching up as Zack crawled over the blond, still in an ardent kiss. He hadn't planned on the situation escalating that far, or even in that direction, but Cloud could not deny himself of the feelings that boiled in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't realized it until then––fully––just how much Zack meant to him. And he would take all night to prove it.

- -

(**Note:** I don't know what it is with me and explicit scenes of love-making, but I'm just not good with them. But don't worry, I'll try not to deprive you guys and attempt one eventually. Sorry this took so long to write. Who knows when the next chapter will be up).


	16. Chapter 16

(**A/N:** First of all I think some thanks are in order. I want to say THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES INFINITY to Lady Valtaya for helping me on this story. I can't thank you enough, and also many thanks to your help in the future. This chapter would probably never arrive if it wasn't for her).

- -

**Intensify**

- -

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

He woke with a start, shooting upright from his surprisingly peaceful slumber to a set of thunderous knocks on the front door. A quick glance at the digital clock on his left told him it was way too early, that is, earlier than he would've liked to be awakened in such a manner. But after the moment of haze ran its course, the blond immediately recalled where he was, what had happened the night before and who was lying in bed next to him.

Zack, half naked and tangled in the sheets, had awakened as well. Unlike the blond, he groaned loudly, expressing his disapproval by rolling onto his back and pulling most of the sheets to his side of the bed.

Cloud on the other hand, reluctantly pushed himself off of the mattress to finally put a cease to that incessant knocking.

"Hughes…"

"Sorry about showing up so early, I called but you didn't answer."

_Did my phone ring?_ Cloud thought, but the brunette continued.

"Anyway, we've got big news. Reeve's called a meeting in an hour and he says it's important." The general didn't bother to ask what it could be since Hughes apparently had no idea, plus the fact that he seemed to be in quite the rush as he turned to leave but stopped in his tracks. "By the way, have you seen or heard from Zack? I tried to reach him too but there was no answer there either."

A brief pause passed before the general answered. "No, I haven't seen him." Even as he spoke, Cloud felt a blush creeping into his cheeks but Hughes was much too occupied to notice. His eyes had already shot down to the watch on his wrist.

"Ah, well would you tell him about the meeting if you do? It's fine if he's not there; he can catch up later. I've got to get going though. I'll see you later."

Cloud nodded, but the lieutenant general was gone before he could say anything more. In the wake of his second's hasty departure, Cloud loud shut the door and struggled to stifle a yawn as he rubbed his tired eyes.

"What is it?" The man that Hughes was looking for asked, appearing out of the bedroom in nothing but his boxers.

But all Cloud could think about was the previous night's events, and found his eyes wandering down the trail of exposed flesh until they hit the elastic hem of Zack's boxers. It would have been hard not to even without Zack standing there looking so calm and casual, like always––as if nothing had changed between them…

The dark haired man shot him a mischievous smirk, and Cloud brought up his gaze once more. "Okay, I'll just guess then. Reeve's called a meeting in about an hour, and you'd rather not go? Better you than me, buddy."

"You're… not coming?" Cloud looked at him, startled by how disappointed that possibly made him feel.

Zack cocked his head slightly, approaching the blond. "Of course I'll be there; I'm just saying I'm glad that I'm not in charge."

"Really? You don't miss it?"

"Nope, I love field work. I'd be useless behind a desk."

_Needless to say, _Cloud thought, holding back a smileZack had always possessed an incredible amount of energy, too much to hold still for very long, and he liked to talk all the time. Even to that day, Zack still reminded him of a kid trapped in a man's body. Yet something had been bothering him about their situation at work. Something important enough that he figured it was as good a time as any to bring it up. "S-so you wouldn't be interested at all in a promotion sometime in the future?"

"You may not always like your job, but from what I've seen, you're doing fine."

When the general looked up, Zack was standing right in front of him––_very_ close––and Cloud immediately forgot what they were talking about. He'd also apparently forgotten how capable the older man was at moving gracefully for his size and that was a little disconcerting. Tall, muscular, confident and impossibly handsome; it was hard to believe he'd really stayed last night…

Kissing him, touching him––just thinking about it was enough to stir his emotions. As nice as it had been, there was no time to revel in the fact. Cloud would have backed away from the other man's advances but he was already blocked by the door behind him––bare skin pressed against the cold wood––so he just blushed and tried to look away instead.

Those bright Mako blue eyes were as intense and captivating as ever, but Zack didn't smile this time. "About last night…"

"… Sorry––" Cloud murmured automatically, deliberately avoiding his gaze. "I just––"

The raven haired man grinned again at the expected apology and rolled his eyes before kissing him. Though soft and very light it was only fleeting, but enough to put an end to the needless words. Cloud could even begin to feel his temperature rise, hoping that perhaps it wasn't as obvious with Zack touching him like he was. As if it wasn't enough trouble trying _not_ to think of the obvious fact that he would've liked nothing more than to return to bed…

Zack smiled and shook his head when he finally broke the kiss. "We need to get you relaxed, Cloud, or you'll end up having a heart attack before _I'm_ thirty… I'm glad that you told me the way you did. But you're still acting weird. And I know just what to do about that…" Cloud didn't even want to think about what Zack meant by that, considering how riddled with mischief his sharp gaze held. "Come on," he said and grabbed the blond's wrist. "I need a shower..."

As the SOLDIER led them through the living room into the bathroom, Cloud tried to wriggle out of the tight grasp, but Zack had always possessed one hell of a grip. In through the doorway with a light push, Cloud stumbled but caught his balance only to find himself in a tight embrace; their chests completely flushed as he was kissed again. Zack put one knee between Cloud's thighs, catching him off guard, and used the distraction to force the blond to press his hips against him, arching his back. A small moan escaped Cloud's lips, but his disappointment was short lived when Zack began kissing his neck instead and the general tipped his head back to allow for better access.

He couldn't believe it now, how steadily and deliberately Zack moved while he was kissing him. He even began to think about the seemingly unimportant facts, like just how almost naked the both of them were … Zack's primal confidence would have been seductive even if Cloud wasn't so attracted to him to begin with.

Zack chuckled; the sound was low and sensual, like a cat purring softly. When his lips moved to Cloud's ear, he whispered, "So, do you still think you can just ignore me and I'll go away like everyone else?" Cloud scowled at the question, but Zack hadn't noticed, already returning to the wet trail he'd left with the tip of his tongue. "Come on, we need a shower or you'll be late for your meeting, right _General_ Strife?"

"We?" Cloud stared at him. He'd been hoping Zack might say that, but it still made his heart race even as the dark-haired man went to adjust the temperature of the water.

Zack's expression remained shameless in the glance he shot over his shoulder. "Why not?" One quick step forward and their hands entwined. Cloud found himself stepping out of his boxers only to be led into the absurdly small shower cubical.

The stream of hot water hit his back with a great force, but that was soon replaced by cold tile; cold enough to send a shiver down his spine as Zack continued what they began earlier, placing soft kisses down his collarbone, chest, and stomach…

At that point, Cloud knew he would have one hell of a time getting anywhere, much less to the meeting on time.

- -

_We're late, and they're all going to know why if I can't stop blushing like an idiot_ Cloud thought, as he walked in to notice the conference room was uncharacteristically quiet. Everyone but Reeve was already seated and they were all staring at him. That wasn't unusual––Cloud was used to being watched with envy and contempt when he walked into a room, but he kept his eyes glued to the mahogany table as he slumped into his chair.

Zack, on the other hand, was his usual charming self. Greeting everyone in the building was normal for him, but Cloud could see right through that devilish grin––_bastard_. So, when the dark haired man slid casually into the chair beside his, Cloud made it a point not to look at him.

At the large window in the back of the room is where Reeve had been standing when he turned to approach the table slowly. He paused mid-stride to take notice of the general's presence, who went red in the face and scowled silently at his water glass, to which the president wisely did not question. He nodded toward Zack too, and the SOLDIER grinned coolly in return.

Reeve's half smile faded though as he finally settled into his chair. In front of him sat a folder, though he didn't bother to open it; the seconds lengthened, each one ticking loudly in his mind and Cloud started to get worried.

At long last, their curiosity was satisfied. "Reiben has been caught."

A heavy silence blanketed the room. Everyone was shocked. The announcement took them all by surprise.

"…When did this happen?" Hughes asked, the only one of them able to formulate a full sentence.

"Very early this morning, I received a call from the police department in Edge saying that they'd apprehended him at an out of commission dig site just south of the city. Apparently he attacked a security guard that was patrolling there; luckily he wasn't too injured when back up arrived."

"A dig site?" the lieutenant general echoed. "What the hell for?"

With a sigh, Reeve sat back in his chair. "That is what we've been trying to figure out since he was taken into our custody. But he's not talking to anyone. Not even me." He paused briefly as a slight frown tugged at his face. "There is one more thing I've failed to mention… Before I received the police report, I was also contacted by Rufus who gave me some information regarding Mr. Reiben."

"_Mr. ShinRa is here, sir."_

"_Let him in." Reeve answered._

_The young man nodded and returned to the hall. Hardly an instant had passed before the blond man appeared through the doorway._

"_Quite the swanky office you've got yourself."_

_Reeve simply ignored the sarcasm to bring them on track. "What is it you have to tell me?"_

_In one of the two chairs that sat facing the president's desk is where Rufus settled before providing an answer. "I have some information you'll definitely be interested in."_

"_And what makes you think I would be interested?"_

"_Perhaps because it pertains to your manhunt…" This caught Reeve's attention. "Last night I received a phone call from Reiben himself; a rather threatening one to which I foolishly ignored at the time. It wasn't until I learned about his arrest this morning, when I thought to myself that there might be a reason to investigate deeper into the matter. I hadn't worked with him before when I was president, but I recalled having heard the name he now goes by, somewhere before."_

"_Now?"_

"_Yes. You see, Reiben is my half-brother."_

_­­Stunned and speechless, Reeve sat stiff in his chair waiting for Rufus to continue._

"_My father had remarried when I was 7, to a woman by the name of Cheril. I wasn't entirely sure of her full name back then as that's how she was introduced, but she had herself a kid as well."_

"_Sao…"_

_Nodding, Rufus went on. "He was 5 years older than me; a bright child, hard working and admired the hell out of my father. He was angry though, at just how rebellious I was against my father's plans for me to take over the company, and hoped that if he worked hard enough that my father would see just how capable he was at running the family business. I'm not quite sure if my father had ever considered handing the position over to Reiben, because he never mentioned anything about it and was killed before his plans could change. So the company went to me and Sao became even more jealous."_

"_And you think that's why he's doing this? To get revenge on you?"_

"_I may or may not be wrong in thinking that's his aim."_

"_Then shouldn't he be angry at me? Aren't I in danger here, too?"_

"_I don't suppose his hatred has shifted, though it would seem plausible enough that you were a disposable player in his little game. If the need arose, I don't doubt for a second that he would've done whatever he could to get you or anyone else in his way, out of the picture."_

"_I want you to talk to him…find out what he was planning. Do whatever is necessary to get an answer. We just need to know."_

"So that's it…? He's doing this to get revenge on Rufus?"

Another frown and Reeve leaned forward, clasping his hands together on the table. "Part of it, yes, but it seems as though that's not the entire story. Because Reiben decided to go ahead with his plans even though Rufus no longer runs the company tells me that maybe that's not all. I suspect he has some other motive; a deeper desire, if you will…which is why I want you to talk to him. If you can get him to expose any clue then we just may be able to take the upper hand in this situation––or at least prepare ourselves for what may come…"

- -

Dismissed from the meeting, and on a mission to find out the truth, Cloud got as far as the end of the hall before he was stopped by a hand that grabbed his shoulder. When he turned to face the culprit, it was merely Hughes, and with something on his mind.

For a moment all the lieutenant general could do was stutter over his words, unsure of how he wanted to say what he had to say, but Hughes managed to get the jist across.

"…I need to go with you."

To face the man who'd nearly killed him; the man who could have easily discarded his life, leaving an entire innocent family to deal with the grief? Cloud couldn't even begin to imagine why Hughes would want to put himself in such an uncomfortable position, but the look in his eyes was enough to convince anyone to agree.

And they didn't have to go far.

A quick drive to the city's main precinct is where the man in question sat awaiting his fate.

Cloud slipped in the room first after a brief description from the head of the investigation on just how smoothly (or rather not at all) their first attempts at getting Reiben to talk went, and Hughes followed in second, keeping his distance by leaning against the wall, masked by the shadows from the limited lighting provided for them.

One glance to his right and the former ShinRa employee returned his gaze to meet Cloud's.

"So glad to see you again, General," Reiben said with a slight grin.

"Cut the crap. What were you doing trying to get into that dig site?"

"Heh. Straight to the point, I see?"

"I'm not here because you deserve a chance to tell your side of the story––you don't. I just want to know what you were planning on doing when you figured you'd get inside."

"Well I suppose you'd have found out if I hadn't been caught."

"Then am I wasting my time here? Are you going to tell me or not?"

"What makes you think I'd open my mouth _this_ time?"

From behind, a voice interrupted their conversation. "Don't think you'll be getting out of here any time soon. We'll find out eventually."

"And where did you come off thinking it was a good idea to tag along?"

"I wanted to see for myself."

A smirk tugged at the corner of Reiben's lips. "You're just as sadistic as me."

But Hughes didn't find the comment as funny as the other man had. In fact, it infuriated him. "I am _nothing_ like you."

"Oh, _please_. Don't you think it's about time to drop that pathetic ingenuous act of yours? I should have done you off when I had the chance."

"It's a shame you didn't."

"Yes," Reiben sighed heavily, "A real shame…but I suppose I could have done worse." The man paused momentarily; his expression told a different story now. "That's right…I should have hit it where it hurts the most." Finally their gazes met as Hughes stepped out of the shadows, revealing the glare that he wore. "That wife of yours…Carolyn, is it? She's quite the looker…"

"Shut up," the man spat––now only a man, in defense of the woman he loved. Hughes gave off his first warning.

"…Such a gorgeous body…"

"_Stop_." Second.

"Lying naked and ra––" Even before Reiben could finish, Hughes launched himself forward, taking a handful of the incapacitated man's shirt, reeled a tight fist back and let it fly, hitting Reiben in the face as hard as he could manage. With the force of the punch, even Hughes stumbled over the chair and would have collapsed to the floor if Cloud hadn't caught the lieutenant by his arm.

Cloud swung him off of the man and dragged him out of the room into the hall without a word in hopes that Hughes might regain his senses.

"Sorry," the brunet huffed, struggling to catch his breath. He wiped the beads of sweat that formed on his upper lip away, staring down at the floor as he felt a hot heat rush to his face; ashamed for having cracked under the pressure.

But Cloud didn't bother to reprimand him or say much of anything for that matter, for he had been in a similar position once or twice before himself and had little room to judge. "Just stay out here for now," Cloud spoke and returned to the room.

The general shut the door quietly behind him, approaching the man who sat slumped in his chair.

"Well?"

"Crazy bastard," Reiben spat; saliva and blood hung stringing out of the corner of his mouth.

"If you don't want me to finish what he started then I suggest you start talking."

Hesitant at first, and for good reason, Reiben weighed his limited options.

"…It was the only way I could contact him."

"Him? Who do you mean?"

"You know exactly who I'm talking about. He can control her, Cloud––use her, communicate through her. You should know that. It was my one chance to find him and finally come together."

_I knew it,_ Cloud thought. _I knew it, I knew it! _"For what? You think Sephiroth would listen to you?"

"I want what he wants."

"You _are_ out of your mind," the blond said. At that point, it became all to clear that Cloud had no reason to stay. He'd already heard exactly what he wanted and needed no further explanation.

§

The door to the president's office swung open loudly, startling Reeve out of his focus on the phone in which he was dialing out from. Cloud's PHS rang once from his pocket a split second later, but immediately silenced when Reeve hung up and stood from his chair.

"There you are. How did it go?"

"Just as I anticipated."

"What did he say?"

At the desk now, Cloud angrily slapped down the piece of paper he held in his hand and turned to face Reeve while Hughes watched and waited on the side. "It's _Sephiroth_. He was trying to contact him, said it was the only way."

"I see…"

But there was something else, something hanging in the atmosphere, something new and something urgent––Cloud could tell for sure.

"There's something else, Reeve. What is it?"

The president wasn't entirely surprised at just how observant Cloud could be. He hadn't really made a point to act as though nothing was wrong. As if the situation couldn't get any worse, he had no choice but to tell them. "While you two were gone, a request for help came in from the same site we found Reiben at. There's been a massive attack in the area surrounding the dig site and I was forced to make a decision to send out a group of SOLDIERs."

Cloud's first thought was the fact that Zack had undoubtedly accompanied them, but what troubled the general even more was the horrible feeling that made itself ever so present in the pit of his stomach from the startling news.

It came just as much of a surprise, though, when Cloud spun on his heels and marched out the door.

"Where are you going?" Reeve piped up, following yet stopping before he could reach the hall. "Cloud? _Cloud!_"


	17. Chapter 17

- -

Great Destroyer

- -

Still bloodied and in pain from his interrogation, Reiben sat awaiting the short journey to his final destination. Down the hall, he could hear the footsteps of the officer who had been assigned to escort him there; a single man, posing less of a threat than Reiben thought he would have to deal with.

The officer spoke soon after he waltzed in through the doorway. "Time to go, buddy." He seemed tired, uncaring in his actions, pulling a set of cuffs in order to ensure his safety, and Reiben simply stood quietly for this though he didn't like the idea of remaining incapacitated.

Since his arrest to that very moment, the former ShinRa employee had been tossing and turning over in his mind a plan that would either free him from his restraints or go horribly wrong. In the end, he only had a miniscule chance of it actually working in his favor.

He watched the man carefully; the officer was quiet as he prepared things for their departure from Edge. He seemed to be a bit uninterested in his assignment, or perhaps he was just tired, but either way, Reiben began to hope that his plan might just work. It was now or never, as the cuffs slapped over his wrists, Reiben pushed forward slightly, ensuring that they snapped over the thicker part of his forearms in order to leave some room to squeeze out of for later. The plan was going well so far, it seemed as if the officer hadn't noticed, for he made no effort to adjust them.

In the car, as an extra precautionary measure, the prisoner was chained through his cuffs to a second shackle built into the cruiser. Luckily for Reiben, that would pose no threat to his plan whatsoever, and they were on the road in no time.

The facility to which Reiben would be transported was located at the military base in which ShinRa operated out of. Because of his unusual circumstances, it seemed most reasonable to hand him over to the company which he had wronged. It was within ShinRa's jurisdiction, in any case, so the police had agreed.

"Sounds like you're gonna be in the slammer for a _looong_ time after what you did," the officer said, glancing into the rear view mirror at the man who sat slumped in his seat.

It irked him more than he would've admitted that such a lowly piece of filth would even consider trying to have a conversation with him, much less rub in the fact he had been caught. But there was little he could do, or wanted to for that matter, in reply. He wasn't in the mood for a battle of wits.

"Perhaps," Reiben answered, suddenly enjoying the cryptic sound of his own voice, and returned his gaze out the window.

The officer simply laughed in reply and focused his attention on the road in front of them. "They said you were a smart one…"

If he was going to do this, he had to do it right––swiftly and timely. It was all about that opportune moment. One mistake and it would mean his funeral.

Eyes still gazing out the window, Reiben proceeded to squeeze his wrists out of the cuffs. It hurt––like hell, in fact––but he managed to free himself. His hands and wrists were scraped raw, achy and sore by the unforgiving metal, yet that was the last thing on his mind. After a brief moment of observing the officer to make sure he hadn't heard or suspected anything, he finally made his move, scooting forward slowly so that his lunge would be shorter and quicker.

As the car rounded a rare curve in the stretch of dirt roads that traversed the wastelands, he saw another opportunity. Knowing there might not be another, Reiben leapt forward, pressing himself against the driver's seat.

Using the seat and headrest to hold the officer back, Reiben got his arms around the man's throat as quickly as he could manage. The guard was stronger than he looked though and nearly pulled himself free with one hand on the wheel and the other clawing at his neck. A desperate growl escaped his throat as he shifted his hands and grabbed the loop of the cuffs. Reiben viciously wrapped them around the man's throat even tighter. He lunged backwards with all of his strength, and hung on until he could feel the sting of sweat beading on his skin. He noted dryly that the metal restraints worked much better on the officer's neck than they had on his wrists; in the background a song humming softly out of the radio annoyed him––but at least the driver was quiet––he'd only heard a couple of strangled noises from the man.

In the rear view mirror, he caught a glimpse of the officer's blood shot eyes; his face turned a light shade of purple and froze in an expression that couldn't be mistaken for anything other than fear. Reiben had never thought of himself as a particularly dangerous man, preferring the term intellectual, but he grinned back at himself wolfishly. He had no pity for the man he was sacrificing for his freedom, feeling only disdain that his enemies at Shinra thought so little of his chances for escape that Reeve would have assigned such a pathetic idiot to escort him.

The car roared faster along the makeshift road, bouncing wildly as he continued to choke its driver, but Reiben pressed himself tightly against the seat and simply waited for the inevitable. The driver's struggles began to weaken quickly, but in his panic the officer's foot remained hard on the accelerator.

After what seemed like an eternity, the man's free hand finally began to slide off of the steering wheel, which allowed the car to veer off to the right. The passenger side tires rumbled over the gravel, and the car began to slide completely off of the road, heading quickly into the ditch that ran parallel beside it.

There was a horrendous screech of metal being twisted and ripped apart as the car suddenly struck the embankment. At the speed they had been traveling, the force of the stop felt much greater than it should have. Only a few seconds after the car had settled and Reiben was onto the next part of his plan, leaning into the front seat of the vehicle to grab the officer's weapon. It was difficult at first, seeing as how the man was leaning on his holster, but with a lot of effort, Reiben managed to pull it out with the tip of his finger. He grinned coldly as he started inching back into his own seat. His plan had worked and couldn't have run any smoother. Now, to finish what he had started…

He threw a disdainful glance at the corpse of his escort and wrinkled up his nose at the blood he saw. The crash had been quite severe. It'd crushed the hood of the car in enough that the officer's legs were pinned––though Reiben managed to come out of it with non-life threatening injuries, enough that he could pull himself out of the car and would be able to stand upright. His escort, on the other hand, had suffered a worse fate.

_Serves him right,_ Reiben thought, _I have an agenda_ _and this nonsense has kept me from it long enough… _

Or so he thought, until the officer began to stir, groaning as awareness of the pain set in.

A mess of deep red blood had also streamed down his face from an injury that would require immediate medical attention, but color was already beginning to return to the officer's face.

_This won't do_, Reiben said to himself, and pressed the weapon to the officer's temple. One distinct shot rang loudly; the barrel began to cool as a breeze rushed passed. There would be no more irritating obstacles to overcome. He would make sure of it.

- -

Fenrir was the quickest mode of transportation for Cloud, but even his trusty bike didn't seem fast enough to calm the aching concern in his chest. He hadn't bothered to wait and hitch a ride with the Calvary that was being dispatched as reinforcements for the area; he preferred the company of his own thoughts to barking out orders.

Once the building could be seen in the distance, the general headed for a mobile combat station––a large Shadowfox troop carrier that was parked on a ridge. The scene surrounding it matched the image in Cloud's mind perfectly. It was an all-out war between animal and man; SOLDIERs working together, leading ShinRa's army to fight off the tide of Shadow Creepers below.

It took several minutes to pick out a single SOLDIER who wasn't occupied in a fight. But one familiar face came into clear view; in fact it was a man he recalled Zack having praised during the Costa del Sol mission, who made his way toward him across the hot desert sand.

"General, sir!"

Cloud squinted to keep the dust from invading his eyes, and huddled down behind the armored truck out of the way of the chaos and danger.

"How is the situation here?"

"Better," the SOLDIER replied. "The monsters aren't entirely under control yet, but I'd say the threat is about 70 contained, sir."

"And where is Zack?"

Cries could be heard in the distance, not just from the monsters that perished by the hands of the men and women they fought against, but from the SOLDIERs as well.

"He radioed in that he was leaving the main group to attend to a wounded Second Class SOLDIER in the building, sir. But that was well over 20 minutes ago."

"You haven't heard anything from him since?"

"No, sir…" The SOLDIER, flushed, and looking rather uncomfortable wiped the dripping sweat from his forehead. "The left flank is the area we are having the most trouble with, I've been…"

As the man continued, Cloud's attention drifted elsewhere. He hadn't really been listening. In the back of his mind, the blond couldn't forget what had happened six years earlier. He felt torn––the dark-haired man was fully capable of taking care of himself. But shaking away that nauseous feeling was more difficult than he'd thought. This was a totally different situation, but that didn't mean everything would be alright today.

"I see," Cloud replied then paused to glance over the vast panorama. In the distance sat the building where Reiben had been arrested, and around it the fighting progressed. "Then you're alright out here on your own?"

"I believe so."

With the confirmation he needed, the general wasted no time chatting leisurely while that concern in the pit of his stomach continued to grow. He rushed back to his bike and rode directly into the melee.

From the ground, the battle was going in their favor, but the monsters seemed to be fighting harder the closer he got to the building, as if they were drawn to it…protecting it. Cloud shivered as he remembered Reiben's words, "_You know exactly who I'm talking about. He can control her, Cloud––use her, communicate through her. You should know that. It was my one chance to find him and finally come together."_

But he soon shrugged those thoughts away as a giant black silhouette leapt from the bloodied corpse of a swordsman who had been fighting it and into his path. Within seconds, Cloud drew his sword without slowing down, and the monster lowered its head and body to the ground preparing to spring. A low, otherworldly growl emitted from the mass of black as it leapt at him, mouth open wide and ready to attack. But the general kept a composure that other men admired, and swung his sword with a graceful ease, striking its underbelly. The black monster was dead before it hit the ground, but Cloud paid no attention to it. He had already made it to the front entrance, sliding sideways to a stop, kicking up dirt and pebbles that hit the cement building. One swift nudge to the kickstand and Cloud hopped off, rushing inside as fast as his legs would carry him.

§

Into the building, Reiben staggered through a doorway as a dull pain throbbed throughout his entire body; the effects of the crash finally taking their toll. Despite the injuries he had sustained, he had no other choice but to continue onward. So with little clue as to where he was going, Reiben made his way through the maze of halls, panting for air; a cold sweat broke over his skin and he shook involuntarily, clenching his teeth.

He felt like he would never reach his destination, he'd been miraculously lucky already just getting into the building without being spotted by one of the SOLDIERs or a monster for that matter. They were much too occupied in their massive fight, but he pushed those thoughts away when he stumbled across two voices up ahead––one of them familiar, the other, not. Back pressed against the wall, Reiben peered out from around the corner only to find a man he didn't recognize and Zack Fair, the 1st class SOLDIER.

There were no monsters present from what he could see, but in the location where he was positioned, it struck Reiben that both men had no clue of his presence, giving him the upper hand. If he was going to pass through the atrium without being noticed; or at least without a threat, he would somehow have to take them down––both of them. The way he could do that was, of course, sat tucked in the back of his pants. Reiben retrieved the gun, cocking the hammer ever so quietly, then paused a moment to make sure neither of them had heard. Once he was certain they were still oblivious, he raised the weapon, aligning the barrel in position with Zack's head; he would have to be first considering how much of a threat the dark-haired man posed.

Slowly, and quietly despite his injuries, Reiben eased one finger onto the trigger, his hands were shaking, but his nerves were calm. Once he was certain they still hadn't noticed him, he fired two deafening rounds. They hit their target, dropping the SOLDIER onto his knees as the bullets pierced his body. He hadn't hit the dark-haired man exactly where he wanted to, however, and cursed at the fact that Zack's brains were still intact.

The other soldier accompanying him, however, wasn't taken off guard as he'd hoped. He scowled as he turned to face him.

With his weapon raised, the youngster readied himself as he jumped toward his unseen target, apparently intent on ignoring the pain in his chest as the bandages there pulled tight when he moved.

Reiben stepped out of his hiding place, but backed into the corridor. He had to stay just out of range as he fired upon Zack's would-be rescuer. The first four shots missed, as the SOLDIER ran at him, zig zagging, but when the next bullet grazed his unprotected side he staggered briefly without stopping.

Agitated, Reiben growled as he shot three more times. These did the trick, the young man lost his grip on the sword he carried and finally collapsed hard against the cement floor. The threat had been taken care of for the most part, though his foremost concern was with the fact that he only had one bullet left. It would be wise, Reiben thought, to get out of there while he still could, and stepped past the downed MP, scowling when he felt something tugging on his pant leg. "W-Why?" the man asked; his voice was weak and shaking.

He pointed the gun down and shot him again as he turned his attention back to Zack…

§

Cloud ran as fast as he could, so fast that the muscles in his legs burned painfully, but that didn't stop him one bit. After experiencing such a nauseating effect, the blond had no intentions of letting anything get in the way of finding Zack-_alive_ and _well_. And, as he ventured deeper into the silent building he grew more confident that Zack would find this completely hilarious later; until the sound of gunshots reverberated down the hall.

_That can't be them,_ he thought––the SOLDIERs didn't care firearms; but picked up his pace around the bend anyway until it led him to a dimly lit atrium.

Right off the bat, Cloud's eyes caught sight of the man he was looking for kneeling over himself on the ground and looking as though he were in a great deal of pain. It wasn't until Cloud got closer that he noticed something was wrong, as well as the dark red patches on his lower back.

"Zack!" Cloud cried, and fell to his knees beside him.

"…Hey." Even through the pain, Zack wore a smile. The good thing, though, was that he remained upright and moving.

"What happened to you? You're hurt…" the blond noted, touching him, scanning his body to get a better idea of what had just happened. It didn't take long for him to put the pieces together when he noticed out of the corner of his eyes; the body of the SOLDIER Zack was supposed to be helping.

"M'fine," Zack said as he tried his luck at standing. When his attempt failed, and the SOLDIER momentarily lost his balance, Cloud reached out to grab a hold of him.

"No you're not," he said with a frown. "Who did this to you?"

On the ground again after giving up on trying to stand, Zack took a moment to gather his thoughts as the entire occurrence had been somewhat of a blur.

"Reiben," he began. "I don't know where he came from or how he got here, but I was trying to help Kensel…and we were on our way out, but the shots came from behind." Zack paused to catch his breath, struggling through the pain. "He hit me first, then unloaded the rest of what he had into him… and just waltzed right passed us."

"You mean he's still here?"

The question was met with a nod, as it had become rather painful to continue speaking. Cloud glanced around, over his shoulder, around the other way, in every nook and cranny his eyes could penetrate despite it being so dark. He figured if Reiben was in the immediate vicinity, after taking the risk of trying to bring down a 1st class SOLDIER, the man would've already made his move by now, but Cloud wasn't dodging any bullets.

Yet if the former ShinRa employee was still around, he couldn't very well let the man roam free. From the moment the shots rang out until he arrived, very little time had passed. Although Reiben could have a good head start, it was definitely not enough time for him to have left the building completely.

Without a second thought, Cloud rose from his knees to glance around once more.

"Which way did he go?"

Such a question startled Zack. "You're not going after him are you?"

"I have to," the blond said.

"He's insane, Cloud. You know exactly what he's capable of. I mean, he could still be lurking in the shadows and you wouldn't even know it."

But there was no answer. It didn't seem clear to Zack why Cloud insisted on going after such a small fry alone––a psychotic one at that, at least until he opened his mouth again to explain his intentions.

"There's something else…"

"Something else?"

Again, Cloud crouched to his knees to look into the dark-haired man's eyes. He needed to explain in what little time he had that he couldn't stay, needed to confirm his suspicion and put his nerves to rest.

"…I'm not sure," the general continued. He wanted to stay there with Zack, take him and run out of there before anything else could happen, but Cloud knew all too well that he simply couldn't turn away from the inevitable. It wasn't like last time; the SOLDIER was not dying and could very well get himself out of the building if he wished to do so. "Do you remember?"

Irritated now, Zack snapped in reply. "Remember what?"

"When I told you it was different. I knew he was here and that's what drew us to this building––everyone, the monsters, you, me…" Suddenly, Cloud's objective became frighteningly clear. "I'm going."

"You can't do this alone!" the dark-haired man hissed through clenched teeth, grabbing onto his wrist. "If it was Reiben, we could let the cops swarm this place and deal with him. Hell, last I heard our own reinforcements should be here, too, but if you're right, then it's not just him. This is Sephiroth we're talking about. He's _different_, Cloud. He always has been. Sephiroth is out of everyone's league and it would be suicide to try and stop him again. You got lucky last time. Who knows what'll happen now!"

Zack was right; and what was worse, Cloud wished he could stay, but he knew he had no other choice but to go. That only made it harder for him to pull out of Zack's tight grasp.

"_Wait!_"

Behind him, the SOLDIER scrambled to his feet, ignoring the extreme pain that coursed through his veins as he went to chase after him.

_Stay there, please––I can't loose you again, _Cloud pleaded with him silentlyNot three steps later and he heard Zack stumbling, unable to keep up with the general as he rushed into the darkness. With his wounds still unattended, the pain had become too much for even Zack to bear and the blond disappeared before the SOLDIER even had a chance to catch up.

It hurt him, having to turn his back on Zack like that, but Cloud knew he had very few options left. If it the sacrifice had to be him, that was fine, as long as Zack and everyone else was safe––that was all that mattered. But he couldn't think of that; not now, at least. There were more important matters at hand that required his full attention. And knowing that Zack wasn't fatally injured managed to lift one weight from his shoulders.

He found himself pacing down a long, dark corridor; to where, Cloud had no idea, though he followed its length in any case, as it seemed to be the only way Reiben could've gone.

--

Descending into the basement, Reiben cursed at the ever present pain in his ribs. The jostling he'd taken during the accident was wearing down on him faster than he'd feared. He had run out of bullets as well, but that didn't matter. Zack had shot him a murderous glare as he stepped over the body of his fallen comrade, but the SOLDIER wasn't able to rise on his own.

He congratulated himself on managing to look as cool and confident as he'd done in crossing the atrium, pointedly ignoring the wounded man. Now that his audience wasn't here to appreciate his ruthlessness, the pain was becoming impossible to ignore.

The stairwell was cloaked in shadows––only a few of the lights worked in this area of the building, flickering overhead as he smirked and continued down the hall. It seemed only a few days ago that he would have childishly imagined monsters lurking in the foreboding darkness surrounding him, but now, _he_ was the monster that others would fear…

Reiben scowled as he tried to remember which room he'd instructed Joshua, Holt's eternally inept secretary, to place the books and files in. That wasn't what he needed here, though. He smirked coldly, remembering what it had taken to find the bait that he hoped would bring Sephiroth under his control.

Years of searching and plotting in secrecy had been rewarded by the recovery of one of the last remaining artifacts of Sephiroth's life. Recovering it from the Mako reservoir at Nibelheim had been complicated enough, but as a student of history and a collector's item, he considered it time and gil well spent. It was cleaned, polished and lovingly restored; the legendary object now waited only for its master. As any unique treasure did, it even had a name––Masamune. Still beautiful, and no doubt as deadly as its wielder, an ominous silence seemed to surround the blade; Joshua had balked at the order to simply touch it, much less transport it here for safe hiding.

It occurred to Reiben that finding the room would be easier if he'd bothered to visit it before hand, but the fact that no one knew about Joshua's little trip here was what made his use of this place so brilliant.

Reiben cursed as he caught himself from falling on the concrete stairs when a piece of paper he hadn't seen resting on the step below shifted under his weight and caused his foot to slip. But he regained his senses quickly and found himself at the bottom of the building now, making a quick turn to the right; the last room––an unmarked storage closet was where he needed to go. A single bulb flickered restlessly overhead at the end of the darkened hall, but he could already see the faint glimmer of light coming from the door ahead.

He had waited so long for this moment that his steps slowed and his throat tightened with each step. _He's here…_

The door opened soundlessly, but the tall silver haired man leaning over the desk glanced up at his company without surprise, a smirk of cool detachment graced his elegant features, but his bemusement didn't really reach his eyes. Green, impossibly bright and catlike, the man's eyes were cold, but curious.

The former general had always been an intimidating man, even standing quietly behind the desk, he reminded his visitor of a tiger watching a rat enter its lair. Just thinking about it made Reiben's blood boil. _I brought you back––how dare you dismiss me as a curiosity?_

Allowing the pages of the folder he'd been holding to slide to the surface of the dust covered desk, Sephiroth cocked one eyebrow in silent inquiry. Reiben hesitated under the weight of the warrior's stare…not entirely certain as to what he should do or say for that matter. He thought it would be easy when the time came; persuasion was a game he'd mastered. But he had never come across such a challenge as this. There was no turning back at this point, even if he wanted to; he found his feet carrying him forward.

At long last he would accomplish what he suffered, sweat and blood, for. And nothing, _not a damn thing_ in this world would stop him now.


	18. Chapter 18

- -

MIA

- -

The harsh glare of the desert sun blinded him as he staggered outside the building. From what his weary eyes could see, the battle was over, but things had not yet entirely come to a close. Reinforcements had arrived, yet they were busy cleaning up the mess and carting off the wounded for treatment. But through the haze of immense pain and settling desert sand, his eyes came to focus on a familiar face in the crowd––Hughes.

"How did this happen?" Hughes asked as he ran to meet the wounded man. He seemed surprised to see him injured so badly.

Zack pushed away his offering hand and fell to his bottom, leaning against the brick wall to rest. He caught his breath before bothering to speak, too exhausted to even do that. "Cloud…"

"Where is he?"

"He ran off…the _idiot_!" Zack growled, slamming his fist down in the sand.

"Ran off? Why _now_?"

"He said…he was going after Sephiroth. I told him not to but he went anyway. Reiben's in there, too. He shot me first … then Kensel. I tried to go after them but I couldn't keep up."

Hughes nodded and glanced over his shoulder in search of the nearest SOLDIER; a man who was assisting the paramedics with the wounded, with a whistle.

"I want you to gather a group of first class SOLDIERs to thoroughly search that building. The General should be in there and so is Reiben. But stay on high alert. Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious and radio in immediately if you find _anything_." The SOLDIER nodded and ran off to execute his new task. Hughes turned back to Zack.

"Don't worry, we're gonna find him. But right now you need to get those wounds treated; come on."

The constant pangs that racked his entire body were enough to keep Zack from trying to argue much more. In one swift move, Hughes helped him up and over to a paramedic unit and smiled before taking off. "I'll see you in a bit; I'm going to check in with the search teams."

Zack ignored the pretty girl that was patching him up and tried to gather his thoughts instead. He knew that Hughes was a competent leader and a heck of a nice guy, but it seemed a bit odd that he could brush off his realization so easily. Although Zack knew it made sense in a way, since everyone knew that Sephiroth had been killed twice already… and had been just as insane in his second appearance when he summoned Meteor, as he'd been at Nibelheim. That meant twice that Cloud had taken on the former general, but the second time it had taken a lot of help to stop him––help that wasn't with him right now.

Now, it occurred to him that his return to life had only been a practice run for reviving Sephiroth. He had been much too busy enjoying his second chance to think much about why he was back, but when it hit, it struck him powerfully. And Cloud had suspected it all along; that the experiment to reunite them was far from over. Immediately, Zack thought of the shattered tube and the crumpled body of the scientist who'd also revived him, lying near it...

Blurred and choppy memories flooded his mind––operating tables, whispers he didn't understand through the haze of drugs they used to keep him from escaping, men and women in white coats carrying all sorts of instruments; always poking him with needles, or testing and retesting by cutting him with scalpels, the Mako showers, the small room with the curtains and beds that had shackles on them…

Waking up on the cold metal table hadn't been any easier this time around either. A fierce shudder racked his body and Zack tried to think of something else.

"Oops! Sorry, if that hurt!" the paramedic said soothingly. He realized he was staring at her nametag. "I'm almost done."

"Not at all, April," he grinned. "I'm feeling better already."

She blushed at his reply; her golden eyes smiled shyly at him under a wisp of strawberry blonde hair. "I'm glad; sir, but you've lost a lot of blood. You should go home and get some rest now."

Zack snorted. _Rest––while Cloud tries to fight Sephiroth alone? Sure, that'll happen._

"I'm sure General Cloud is fine," April continued. "He does this to us all the time."

_All the time_… No, this was different. Zack figured, for the most part, what she said was true, but she hadn't been there; hadn't heard the words that came out of the general's mouth. But April didn't have to know that Zack had little intention of resting as she so suggested. He would be damned if he'd let anyone send him back either.

Even Reeve tried his hand at telling Zack that they were doing all they could, and the presence of one more man wouldn't make much of a difference in their search. Instead, the president's statement was met by a furious glare. Zack didn't even need to speak to show Reeve just how angry he was; he marched back to the field with the searchers.

- -

"That's impossible! I saw him, I_talked to him,_ and I'm pretty damn sure he wouldn't have enough time to escape before anyone saw him––or Sephiroth for that matter. You don't just miss stuff like that. He_has_ to be somewhere around here. It doesn't make any sense that he would vanish into thin air."

"I understand Zack," Reeve replied, just as frustrated as the SOLDIER; even more so that he knew couldn't offer any relief for the man, "And I'm just as baffled as you. But we've searched every nook and cranny of that building, we even found Reiben's body, but there were no signs of Cloud or Sephiroth whatsoever––you should know, you were there."

Reeve could see that his attempts at reassuring the man weren't working, but it seemed the warrior had given up arguing with him, at least for the moment. Now he was restless again, prowling the room like a caged tiger. Reeve hadn't known the SOLDIER for very long, but he found this side of the man quite disconcerting. Hughes watched him warily too, they all felt helpless––and Zack's dark mood only made a solution seem farther away.

"I'm going to adjust the search radius by 30 miles. We'll call in air support along with the ground troops." To Hughes, Reeve said with a heavy sigh, "Why don't you go ahead and handle everything? I need to make a phone call..."

- -

He sat at the bar on a stool between Yuffie and Vincent while the young brat ran her mouth about some new argument she'd had with her father. Tifa listened patiently, polishing glasses behind the counter. It was a slow time for business that night, leaving Tifa some free time to do as she pleased, insisting that both the gunman and the pilot stay before they headed off again. He figured it couldn't hurt to stick around seeing as how unstable the atmosphere in Edge had come to be, and accepted the brunettes offer.

During the middle of their conversation, Cid's PHS went off and he swore softly, putting down his drink. He went into a less noisy part of the room where he could hear his caller.

"Yeah?"

"Cid, it's Reeve…"

Immediately, by the sound in his voice, the pilot could tell that something had gone horribly wrong. "What is it?"

"I uh…don't exactly know how to say this but–––I need your help."

"What's wrong?"

"Well there's been an incident. It's a long story, but we had to deal with a massive attack of monsters down here and now it seems as though Cloud has gone missing."

"_Missing?_ What do you mean missing?"

"I was told that he intended on finding Zack, who was injured in the process of helping a wounded SOLDIER. When he finally came out of the building, Cloud was no longer with him. We then thoroughly searched the premises but couldn't find any sign of him. So I've decided to expand the search radius, both high and low. And I was hoping that you would lend us your assistance."

Reeve, of course, had no need to ask, as Cid would have offered his help anyway. After obtaining the coordinates of the search area, he hung up the phone to find Tifa and Yuffie staring over his shoulder, curious about the odd conversation he'd just had.

"What's going on?" Tifa asked.

Cid turned to face her, unsure of where to begin. "Uhh…that was Reeve. He needs my help."

"Help with what? What's wrong?"

The blond sighed heavily first, and nervously scratched the back of his neck. _Here goes nothin'…_ "Well, uh…I guess something is going down outside the city. There's been a huge attack at a dig site and….Ehh, er––I guess Cloud's gone missing."

"Missing?" the young ninja echoed loudly. Tifa, however, seemed unable to voice her shock and instead, remained utterly silent.

"Yeah…they want to expand the search pretty far and need my ship to act as a makeshift headquarters. I need to get going now, though…" Having said what he needed to, Cid felt a bit regretful to be the bearer of bad news; especially seeing how much it affected Tifa.

He told himself that he had little time to waste on worrying too much about things like that, as he and Vincent prepared to leave. But before he could get too far, Tifa stopped the pilot at the door by grabbing a hold of his arm.

"Wait," she spoke; her voice was meek and quivering. "I want to help, too."

Cid stared into her eyes, which had glazed over with a thin film of tears. She wasn't crying, and probably had no intentions letting her emotions get the best of her, but rather, was determined to go whether he agreed to be the one to take her or not.

The pilot glanced up over her at Vincent who stood in the background, and Yuffie waited for an answer as she knew very well if Tifa was going that she would be, too. The answer came soon after. Cid nodded in reply.

"Let's go."

- -

Zack wasn't really paying attention when Hughes left to carry out his new orders, but immediately stopped pacing when he heard Cid's name. He could see from Reeve's expression that his inquiry had worked, and he felt two things simultaneously. He was glad that Cloud had made such good friends while they'd been apart, but he had been hoping that there would be no need to involve anyone else.

He especially had not wanted Tifa to find out, but there was probably no stopping that now.

It had been bothering her for a while, not hearing anything and then to find out that Cloud was missing. Her heart had almost dropped through the floor the moment Cid spoke those words. She didn't really know why she had expected anything else––after all, no one knew Cloud as well as she did. Well, except possibly Zack…

Their relationship was blatantly obvious; a close one for sure, considering how much Cloud and Zack had been through together. Tifa knew this well, and accepted it as perfectly natural. It'd struck her right away that perhaps there was something else going on too though; something she could say that made her feel perturbed––_jealous_, even. And she searched herself, high and low, for any answer that made sense, but nothing she could come up with did manage to sooth her suspicions,_unless_...

Well, suspicions as they were, Tifa eventually came to the conclusion that perhaps asking outright would help to ease the tension she felt constricting in her chest.

She found Zack in the infirmary, but he hadn't noticed her come in, and he was sitting on one of the beds in the silent room staring absently at the steel plates on the floor.

"Hey, I heard about what happened," Tifa said and took a seat next to him on the cot. "Are you okay?" They had become close during their time together at the bar, as Zack was a natural magnet in social situations, but this one in particular left both of them feeling quite uneasy for some reason.

"Fine," he nodded and gave her his charming grin.

Tifa sighed; she could see pain behind his shining smile. "It's hard to be the strong, cool one all the time, isn't it?"

"Yeah, well... If Kensel hadn't kept Reiben from shooting me again, I'd be dead right now too. We were cadets together… I'll miss him."

"Of course, but it's not your fault––that jerk shot you in the back." She had never seen him like this before, so candid with his true, not so jovial attitude; although she knew very well that there was more bothering him. It only made Tifa feel especially uneasy to know that Cloud's absence was affecting him in such a way. Yet there was still something else in the back of her mind that even now, she couldn't manage to push aside.

"Zack, I uh…I've been meaning to ask you something, but I'm not entirely sure of how to go about doing it..."

He arched one dark eyebrow but didn't interrupt and she looked down, faltering under his unnaturally bright blue gaze.

"I know this is a really difficult time right now, for all of us, but I…" She made the mistake of looking up at him again, and felt very foolish for what she had been about to ask––_what if I'm wrong? What if Zack doesn't know - or worse what if Cloud's said something to him already and Zack rejected him?_ It wasn't really her business anyway, but at the same time, even though she wasn't with Cloud anymore she still wanted the stubborn man to be happy... "I- it's about Cloud…"

"I think I ought to be the one getting embarrassed since I think I know where this is going, Tifa." His gaze remained steady but his expression was a bit guarded. The longer she hesitated, the more the hint of a smile seemed to tug at the corner of his mouth. It amazed her that he was still willing to be candid with her, since the way she was now blushing seemed to answer his unspoken question.

"Well, I just wondered, if–if you thought Cloud was acting weird… because, if you've noticed it too-" She paused again, much longer this time; her hands unconsciously picked at the hem on her shorts. "I think it's because he's in love with you."

For a moment he was quiet, and he looked away, but at least he didn't get angry. "Everything happened all at once but now…"

"I know he hurt you today, but he's already lost you once-"

"I know. He thinks he's protecting me––all of us actually, but this is Sephiroth. He can't fight that bastard alone, you _know_ that..."

- -

She would be in and out in a second; not a single soul would know she was ever there. Just a quick shower and that's it. In a rush, Yuffie snatched a towel that hung on a hook behind the door to wrap around herself while she gathered her scattered clothing. So far so good, no one had come in but that didn't mean she in the clear just yet. It was the captain's room after all, and being so, that meant she had even more of an incentive to quicken the pace if she didn't want to get an earful from Cid––which she didn't.

With her soiled clothes in hand, Yuffie went to open the door to the bathroom so that she could rush back to her room without being noticed, but the moment her hand touched the knob, the door to the captain's room opened and Vincent appeared. Luckily for her, he hadn't noticed that anyone was in the bathroom and proceeded to remove his own clothing that had been dirtied with blood and other debris. That fact, however, was nothing compared to the question of why he was in _Cid's_ room of all places, and removing his clothes for that matter. At least that's what she thought until the door opened again.

"I hope that's not yours," the pilot said as he leaned against a waist high bureau on the opposite wall, arms crossed over his chest.

"I was assisting the injured SOLDIERs. Some of them didn't make it…"

"So I'm guessing you found nothing." Cid asked as he watched Vincent, now in only a shirt and pants––much less than anything Yuffie had ever seen him in before. "I can't believe it," Cid continued. "How does someone just disappear into thin air?"

"Perhaps we're looking in the wrong place?" the gunman offered as he moved across the room, his back now facing the blond. "Besides, it's not as though he's never done it before."

"You sayin' he left on purpose?"

"Not necessarily; however I wouldn't be surprised if his reasoning was solely to protect those he cares for."

"By running off and putting himself in danger? What a smart move."

"You know how Cloud is…"

"Yeah," Cid sighed and pushed himself upright to approach Vincent from behind. Quite amorously, he pressed his body against the gunman's and snaked his hands around his waist… Yuffie's jaw hung wide open. "He's a stubborn piece of work, like someone I know." And just when she thought it couldn't escalate any further, when pinching herself no longer seemed to be working, the pilot leaned forward as though he intended to kiss the other man. By then Yuffie had already burst out of the bathroom, headed for the door.

Completely shocked by the unexpected outburst, Vincent had gone red in the face when the young girl decided to reveal her hiding place. He felt it best to remain in the room; however, Cid had no intentions of letting the young girl off so easily. At the top of her lungs, she shrieked for help, but from whom the pilot had no idea, nor did he know where she was headed for that matter. The towel she held tightly wrapped around her slender figure flapped in the wake she left, and her bare feet slapped hard against the metal floors. It wasn't until they rounded the corner of the corridor that led to the bridge when Cid spotted a familiar face––Tifa, who stepped out of the infirmary with Zack behind her.

"Tifa!" Yuffie shouted as she nearly collided with the brunette, and threw a reproachful pointed finger in his direction. "I saw them! Vincent and Cid––_together_!"

While together could have meant a variety of things, Tifa glanced up at the pilot in hopes of finding some clarification and saw him blushing instead.

It seemed as though he had no other choice but to reveal the truth now that they had been spotted. And no matter how much of a brat Cid thought Yuffie to be, he knew she wouldn't bother to make up such an outrageous lie. Admitting the truth was his only way out as both women stood awaiting his explanation.

"Fine," Cid huffed and let his arms fall limp to his side. "It's true…"

Wide-eyed and slack-jawed, Tifa shot a glance at Yuffie and then back to Cid. "Y-you mean…she was right?"

"Whadda'ya mean, right?" the pilot spat, suspicious now of where the conversation was headed.

"I knew there was something going on between you two!" Yuffie shouted. She couldn't have been anymore proud to announce her triumph to the entire ship. "Didn't I call it?"

"Well yeah, though it's not any of our business…" replied Tifa. "But are you serious? _Vincent_?"

"What's so surprising about that?"

"Well," Tifa ventured quietly, "I guess I always thought Vincent was still in love with that woman. You know the one in that cave east of Nibelheim?"

Cid growled something unintelligible and turned away from the girls.

"I mean okay, so I'm surprised, but you're our friends, right? I really want you to be happy. Sorry, Cid," Tifa said, smiling. "Is it still okay if I hug you?"

Cid snorted and embraced her gruffly. "What kind of a question is that? I think you need it more than I do anyway, girl."

Yuffie, still wrapped up in the towel, stared guiltily at the floor. "I guess I'm sorry too, Cid. You'll always be a sexist, swearing, chain-smokin' pain in the butt to me, no matter who you're in love with."

"Shaddup, ya brat! That's my towel you're parading around in," Cid growled and pulled out of the embrace. "And, I want it back!"

"_Ahem_…"

All together their attention directed to the main corridor as Reeve appeared with Hughes tagging along behind him. Apparently both men had heard the commotion and sought to question just what it was about.

"Did we miss something?" Reeve asked and joined the crowd.

"Nothin' important," the pilot muttered tautly and turned back the way he came running in from. Everyone else seemed to want to disperse as well, especially Yuffie now that she remembered that she was still only in a towel. But the president had not come for them; he had his eyes set on Zack.

"The ground teams are moving into the next search quadrant. If you aren't going to rest anyway, I thought you might like to join them," Reeve said. "At least for a while."

Zack turned and glanced at Tifa, who giggled. "Go on, we can talk later. Good luck down there!"

"Yeah," the SOLDIER grinned back. "We'll find him."


	19. Chapter 19

- -

**Lost and Found**

- -

He awoke in a haze of pain, bruised and bleeding, but still alive.

Night had fallen across the desert; instead of the sun's glare, the stars glimmered in the sky, only a few scattered clouds broke up the constellations. And when he tried to think about it, he didn't know where he was or how he'd arrived there.

Cloud tried to sit up, but found it extremely difficult as a terrible pain in his back and stomach prevented him from doing so. Instead, he took his time––rolled over and pushed himself up onto his knees. His memory of how he'd gotten that way blurry; for the most part everything was lost to him, buried under the pain that jarred his entire body.

"…_Sephiroth is out of everyone's league and it would be suicide to try and stop him again. You got lucky last time. Who knows what'll happen now!"_ Those words, so true and spoken with genuine concern, but they had not stopped him.

_Zack had been bleeding too––was it bad? Had someone found him?_ For a moment Cloud panicked, and then he remembered only hearing two shots in the empty hallway in the abandoned building. Although he was shot twice in the back, Zack was no ordinary man; as soon as the bullets were out, the Jenova cells and the Mako would instantly begin to do their jobs. So to keep him from getting involved, Cloud had been faced with the difficult decision to leave him there.

As he continuously struggled to remember what had happened next, Cloud's head began to throb mercilessly––there were stairs, and…He paused, holding his head again. _A door…_

_The only reason he opened the door at the end of the hall was because of a light that emerged from its cracks. _

_Cloud thought he'd been ready, even attempted to mentally prepare himself for what he knew was to come, but actually seeing Sephiroth in person again had still managed to stun him. There were documents scattered across the desk he stood behind. Sephiroth was holding another file, quietly reading it as he leaned coolly up against the wall. Masamune gleamed beside him propped next to its master._

"_Hello, Cloud," Sephiroth purred._

_The general frowned, slightly confused by what Sephiroth could possibly be reading here, but also by the simple fact that his premonitions were true. He had been right all along._

_Briefly, to take in his surroundings, Cloud glanced around at the room and his eyes found Reiben's corpse, twisted and broken; it lay discarded on the floor behind the desk. "What have you done?"_

_Closing the folder, with the same slight smirk he wore as he read those files, Sephiroth tossed it on the desk and smiled coldly at Cloud's gaze. "Well, at least now he's quiet…"_

_Righting himself, Sephiroth casually reached for his sword and spoke in a more stern tone. "I would not have expected to see you again."_

"_Don't think you got rid of me so easily."_

_A soft chuckle escaped the silver-haired man as he gracefully stepped over Reiben's body and around the desk._

"_I can see that, _General _Strife…"_

_The scathing tone with which Sephiroth emphasized his title made him desperately uncomfortable having this dangerous man so close to him in such a tiny room. The only thing he could do to try and ease that tension was to warily step back._

"_You are the General now, are you not?"_

"_What does that matter?"_

"_Scraping the bottom of the barrel, I see. You were always such a pitiful excuse for a soldier." Cloud gulped hard, but scowled defiantly. Sephiroth didn't seem to notice though, he continued contempt, with a hint of curiosity that laced his words. "I see that Zack has also returned. How is the traitor?"_

_Even closer now, Cloud drew his sword as the distance between them continued to grow smaller and smaller with each step. He was certain that Sephiroth intended to attack him. "Shut up…"_

"_I suppose the little Chocobo Scout's a SOLDIER again? No doubt, you two have been working closely together."_

_It seemed odd, the way Sephiroth chose to word himself, but it soon struck the general that the files he had been reading must have contained literally everything he could possibly want to know about the last few years he had missed._

"_I trust he's remained loyal considering what you two have been through."_

"_That is _none _of your business."_

"_Oh it _is _my business. As a former employee of ShinRa, I know how important it is to point out the "mistakes" used to cover up the truth in those reports. Zack isn't as much of a martyr as you think he was."_

"_What does that mean…?"_

"_That man, Angeal, of course you know of him… No? How strange––he and Zack were close as well. _Very _close, in fact." Despite how obvious it was what the silver-haired man had in mind; Cloud remained silent, allowing him to carry on._

"_Angeal was a contemporary of mine, actually; he _trained _Zack. Took the puppy under his wing you might say. So naturally, I was shocked to hear that it was Zack who murdered him..."_

Zack––**NO!** _He knew he could trust little of anything that came out of Sephiroth's mouth. Unconscious of his own movement, Cloud shifted again, sword into both hands, and positioned himself forward into an aggressive fighting stance. _Why the hell am I listening to this crap?

_Sephiroth merely laughed, though his tone was dripping with mockery. "Are you really in such a hurry to die, Cloud? I have so much more to tell you."_

_There'd been no time to reply when he swung that sword. Forced to dodge, rolling out of the way of an Iaikiri slash, the wall behind him exploded sending debris every which way, and Cloud had to jump into the newly opened room in order to avoid another one. _

_The small rooms and narrow hall on this floor were difficult to maneuver in but Cloud easily dodged yet another strike by rushing into the cave through the doorway Sephiroth just made. _

_Though the lighting system in the tunnels wasn't any better than in the building, thanks to his Mako infused eyes, he could see well enough to fight._

Cloud shook his head, hoping to find some clarity and staggered to his feet. He didn't have to spend anymore time remembering, either. From the looks of the crater he was in, and the wound on his chest and back that oozed blood every time he moved (or didn't, for that matter), getting back to the compound was his first and foremost concern.

- -

It was his first day back on the job, guarding the abandoned dig site since he'd been injured by Reiben. He made his rounds like he was supposed to, but he felt a strong sense of anxiety despite knowing that the initial threat had been dealt with. The inside rounds were okay; the SOLDIERS were waiting in the main lobby––6 of them in case of… He didn't want to think about that just yet.

Outside though, any outcropping of rocks could hide more of those monsters he'd seen on the news or––just as frightening––another crazed lunatic with a gun. He'd been assured that the man who'd broken into the compound had been killed before he could escape, but decided he hated this place now. He crossed the open front yard of the building at a quick pace to his destination; the security gate cubicle dead ahead. All he had to do was put a quick note of the time in the gate log, and then he could run back to the main security desk inside where the troop of SOLDIERs were stationed in case of another attack.

_Why can't they do the rounds though? _He told himself that he was being stupid, that the attack was an isolated incident, that the general could have gone missing anywhere, that the monsters were gone from the area––all the things that his superiors had told him… _but I feel it… something __**is**__ going to happen on this round…_

He was ashamed that he hadn't entirely been paying much attention to his surroundings, but he had an excuse,_didn't he?_ A quick and random glance to the left out of his peripherals, and something caught his attention. It was sluggish, but definitely moving; a dark shape, slightly hunched over and wavering in the desert heat. He paused; embarrassed to note that he was ready to run should his apprehensions get the best of him, even though the shape didn't _feel_ threatening. The thing in the distance continued to lurch toward him. It was definitely heading for the building… but what was it?

This particular dig site was in an area that was hostile to travelers; even when the site was active no one in their right mind would want to walk there, and certainly not alone. Now no one came this way without official clearance, but he had a feeling that it _was_ a man, walking, or at least trying to. Against his better judgment, he decided to investigate. Perhaps the biggest question on his mind was why the man was coming from was at the opposite end––from the foothills.

He squinted his eyes, hoping that it would make a difference in helping him determine the identity of this man who was stumbling over his own feet. His visitor was wounded, he was certain of that now. There was no way he would simply run off at this point; not when his curiosity had gotten the best of him.

"Excuse me," the guard said, as he approached the man who had fallen on his hands and knees in the dirt. "Are you alri…––_General?_" Not soon enough and he, too, was on his knees next to the fallen man. Upon first glance, Cloud was covered in sweat from head to toe, along with a generous coating of dirt and dried blood. He was panting loudly for air and could barely stay upright on his own. "Don't worry, sir," said the guard as he went to help Cloud up to his feet. "I'm gonna help you." With a good hold on the General, they began to walk toward the building, but not a few steps later and Cloud went crashing to the ground, taking his rescuer with him. He touched the button on his earpiece before he tried again to help the General up. "First Class SOLDIER Luke, this is security officer Leo. Please bring your combat unit to the front gate. We have a man down. I repeat––we have a man down!"

§

Vociferously, the heavy glass door swung open and cracked hard against the wall behind it as Zack bounded in straight to the front counter.

"Zack? What are you…?" the doctor asked, looking up from a clipboard full of paperwork. "I thought that the president…"

"Yeah, hi Rosie," the SOLDIER huffed, "He called me right after. Where is Cloud?"

Shooting up from her seat, Rose rounded the counter of the nurses' station to lead the way to the room were the General could be found. "He's not conscious right now," she began, "He was brought to me that way."

"So what's wrong with him?"

"Well it's difficult to tell. On the outside he appears to have sustained minimal damage in comparison to what his body can actually handle. But the fact that he's nearly in a coma is what's stumping me the most." At the end of the hall is where they came to a stop in front of a door labeled 1A. The doctor then opened the door to let Zack in first, and followed in behind. He was apprehensive at first, fearing walking in on the worst possible scenario, but as Zack approached the bed, he saw that, although Cloud lay battered and bruised, he looked to be in what was a rather peaceful sleep.

"You mean there's something else wrong?"

"Not necessarily," the doctor sighed and folded her arms. "It could just very well be that he's been through an awful lot in the past two days. I can tell you that Cloud has suffered quite the beating, and he's severely dehydrated and exhausted."

She came to the bedside to join Zack and pulled the sheet down to Cloud's waist. "There's also this…" Moving aside his hospital gown, Rose revealed a new injury. It was neatly covered in white cotton gauze that was taped in place but Zack sensed that he already knew that it was in the _exact_ same spot as the scar from Nibelheim. "It's a stab wound, and it went straight in and out the back. I figure it would take an unusual amount of strength to do such a thing, since this was done by a sword with a very long, narrow blade which you can tell curves slightly at the tip. The person who did it was definitely at least of SOLDIER class; the initial strike was done with surgical precision. To kill a man like Cloud wouldn't be easy anyway, but it's expected to see the blade get twisted or stuck in the ribs as it is ripped out. That is where most of the damage is actually done in a sword thrust, but you should already know. That simply didn't happen here. Whoever did this…_wanted_ to torture him."

Zack nodded; there was no doubt about that. Without question, Sephiroth had the strength and the skill to execute such a brutal attack _and_ make certain that removing the blade was just as clean.

"It was easy to patch up but I'm sure it is the major contributing factor to his condition right now." She pushed a lock of black hair behind her ear and sighed. "After all, the wound wasn't meant to be fatal, but he still went two days without it being treated, and the wound was so clean that it took longer to clot around it and stop the bleeding––meaning the desert dehydrated him much faster."

Zack swallowed hard and watched silently as the doctor arranged Cloud's gown and sheet back in place. She then stepped back and shoved her hands into her lab coat pockets, staring down at the unconscious blond man.

"So, will he be alright?"

"Without knowing where he was or what exactly he's been through, it's hard to tell what his recovery will be like. Right now his vitals are stable, but they're not where I'd like them to be. I can't say we'll be able to do much for him should Cloud's condition begins to deteriorate. After all, this is rather baffling to me. However I don't expect things will come to that. He's strong and he's pulled through much worse. I can only really say that he probably just needs a break…let his body heal on its own and he'll come back when he's ready."

Out of her pocket, a series of beeps interrupted their conversation and the doctor retrieved her pager to check the message. "I'm sorry; I've got to be going."

"Can I stay with him?" Zack asked before she could take off.

In the doorway, the doctor turned to face him before leaving and nodded. "That's fine," she said, shutting the door on her way out.

Once she was gone, he told himself he didn't care that at any moment Reeve or a nurse might walk in; so with little hesitance, Zack rushed to the bedside, and grabbed Cloud's hand in his. He wanted to yell, _scream_ at him, but Zack knew very well that it his frustrations would go unheard.

For a while, all he did was star at the blond––wishing that he could make him wake up, but the events of the last two days had finally taken their toll on him. The SOLDIER was tired, worn out from the massive search and overall tension of not knowing where Cloud could be or if he was even still alive. Finally, those concerns began to subside.

He pulled a chair next to the bed as he expected to be staying there at least until Cloud opened his eyes. But Zack never let go of that hand, even as he laid his head next to Cloud's body, as he struggled to keep his weary eyes open…

§

Zack jumped at the sound of Reeve clearing his throat; a polite announcement that he'd finally arrived. The SOLDIER rose up and out of his chair, letting go of Cloud's hand even though he knew perfectly well that Reeve had already seen it.

"How is he doing?"

With a heavy sigh, Zack replied. "He's stable but still unconscious. Rose expects Cloud to recover; she says he's been through a hell of a lot."

Reeve nodded in understanding, happy to hear that the news was not of grave nature. "I see. Well there have been no major discoveries so far. But after searching the building again it appears as though the basement's been damaged quite a bit. One of the walls there was completely demolished––you might not believe this, but apparently, the first search team to go through the building thought that the huge hole was the normal entrance to the cave system! It was that clean and smooth, and no lights were working in the corridor. It was an old friend of yours named Luke; stationed at the site when Cloud was found. He's the one who finally recognized the damage and informed me that only Sephiroth's Iaikiri attack could have caused it. He followed the signs of their fight through a tunnel that was used when the dig site was in working order, and the path continued upward to a massive crater in the desert. He's sure it was also made by whoever destroyed that wall."

"Then it is Sephiroth."

It was a statement, not a question and it drew a reluctant nod from Reeve. "Judging by the looks of Cloud, I'd say we have no choice but to accept it for now."

Zack scowled. "If you need more proof, he has a fresh stab wound in a disturbingly familiar place."

"Hmm, then it seems as though our suspicious are correct, unless..."

"He's still out there..."

"Yes, Hughes is taking precautions to see that all of our unit commanders know what we are dealing with, and..."

From behind, the sound of faint rustling caught their attention as Cloud struggled with his sheets, slowly but surely rousing from his sleep.

Without even thinking, Zack rushed to the bedside and threw his arms around the blond, cradling him protectively. "Damnit, Cloud," he whispered through clenched teeth. "You scared the hell out of me." But all Cloud could do was clutch weakly at a handful of Zack's shirt.

They stayed that way for a while, even though those small movements seemed to drain what strength Cloud had left. As the blond settled back into the bed, Zack covered him again, making sure he was as comfortable as he could be. Just as Zack took a step back, he realized he was smiling absently, and staring for quite some time. And then a flip switched on; he suddenly recalled that he had been talking to Reeve and that when he turned to find him, the president had apparently gone.


	20. Chapter 20

- -

**Giving In**

- -

_It had been quite the unfair fight, but Cloud managed to defend himself rather well considering the opponent, but he knew he couldn't actually _beat_Sephiroth if he wasn't able to attack the man. Never in his life had he been forced to stand this long against such a brutal adversary. Sephiroth was cunning, swift and strong and every time Cloud spotted an opening, the silver-haired man was always one step ahead of him– wearing that smirk of disdain across his pale face. Even worse, now the general was tiring, and they both new it._

_Their battle had taken them deep into the tunnels and far away from the building that made up the compound. It consisted of numerous off-shoots, deserted checkpoints and even quite a few underground rooms, but there was little time to wonder what any of it was actually used for back when the building was in use. Because as the fight progressed, Cloud had noticed that the former general seemed content to fight him, never once bothering to continue their conversation from earlier. As their swords clashed, the maze of twisting tunnels flickered brightly with sparks flying every which way. Even their movements were much too fast for any normal human eye to follow._

_For the dozenth time, Cloud blocked a powerful sweeping blow sent his way, instinctively evading another __Iaikiri slash_._He had a natural talent and fluidity in his steps, but there was still no substitute for real training in sword work. Fighting monsters or a horde of random enemies wasn't the same as fighting a swordsman of Sephiroth's caliber. His style was effortless–– every movement was precise with little waste of motion or hesitation. _

_Yet again, he swung another low sweep at the blond, one that promised to take him curiously close to the back stone wall. With quick footwork, Cloud sidestepped the attack and followed through, thrusting his sword into Sephiroth's unprotected left flank. There was no time for Sephiroth to block the attack with Masamune, but he managed to twist his body enough to miss the blade and caught Cloud in the chin with an elbow._

_The unexpected blow knocked the blond off balance, and almost cost him his grip on his sword. Cloud managed to roll to his feet, but Sephiroth was quicker, he slammed one knee into Cloud's ribs, followed by a slash that even though Cloud blocked the blade. The force of the strike alone was enough to knock him up off his feet and back––straight through the wall behind him. _

_The harsh desert sun blinded him, even before he landed. In a daze, Cloud managed to pick himself up, and rubbed his squinted eyes._

_The landing had hurt too, but Cloud already shaken off worse during this fight, and he waited for Sephiroth to join him again. Taking his time, the former general laughed a hollow, chilling sound as he appeared in the dark tunnel. "I should thank you for the door."_

_Cloud just scowled. "Shut up, you bastard."_

_He was still determined to at least get in a few hits, but his legs were shaking under his own weight now from such a physically taxing battle. Sephiroth smirked, but looked up as he stepped fully into the light. He paused there quietly, staring at the sky, almost as though he'd never seen it before. In the distance, the sun was beginning to fill the sky with color, but Cloud really doubted that the promise of a pretty sunset was what had drawn Sephiroth's attention skyward…_

_"Perhaps you mean_monster_?" Sephiroth purred._

_Although confused by that choice of words, Cloud didn't drop his guard. Still, the former general seemed content to ignore him. He tried to focus on saving what little strength he had left, as he could tell that Sephiroth was up to something when he closed his eyes. _

_Cloud could feel the faint stirrings of magic around the silver-haired man, but had no idea what he intended on doing with it. Cloud sensed the other man was very much aware of his surroundings even now and couldn't risk attacking. He shifted his weight onto his back foot, allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, opting for defense. _

_As Sephiroth slowly peeled his eyes open, some dark shape moved behind him. Large and graceful, the wing unfolded itself, scattering a few random feathers in the air about him. It took Cloud by complete surprise, leaving him wide-eyed, slack-jawed and at a loss for words._

_When he looked closer, it seemed as though Sephiroth was sad, almost, but the condescending smirk returned, and Cloud realized he had foolishly let his guard down when the sliver haired man moved again._

_The former general closed the distance between them with impossible speed. In an effort to avoid Masamune, Cloud twisted his body but did not see the elbow that followed. It struck hard and fast, hammering Cloud into a column of rock and sent his sword in the opposite direction. _It's over…_he thought to himself._

_He tried to growl as Sephiroth stepped closer, but coughed weakly instead. His ribs were cracked at the very least; simply trying to breathe was painful, but that was nothing compared to knowing he was disarmed…_

_"Shall we continue?" Sephiroth purred._

_Cloud looked up to glare at him for the absurd question, and suddenly wished he hadn't. The former general's green eyes burned brightly with malicious intent, as he added, "Well then, what should I do with you now?"_

_Cloud dropped his head, determined to ignore the bastard and focused on everything he was about to loose instead. Sephiroth continued to come closer though, inching slowly––as if still hoping he'd make one last desperate move, some effort to save himself, but it was already over…_

_He could feel the cold tip of the blade press against his skin, in the exact same spot as the previous scar he had given him. Cloud closed his eyes; he knew Sephiroth was only taking his time at this. The blade bolted forward with a sudden lurch, impaling him but as the blade slid deeper, Cloud noted how even and steadily it moved, slowly tearing through his chest. The pain was nauseating, but the fact that it was still building kept him from passing out. And then just as he thought it was over, it shifted quickly again, the tip of the blade bit deep into the column of stone, pinning him there so that he couldn't move._

_But now the silver haired man was even closer; close enough that he could feel the man's breath on his face. At that moment, when everything seemed to be happening so slowly, the tables suddenly turned and now it came all at once––in a flash, Sephiroth grabbed his throat and pressed his lips to his. Warm and soft, the kiss was teasingly light and playful. He could even feel the tip of his tongue brush slowly against his lips asking for entry, but it was Sephiroth tightening grip him that finally forced his body to obey…_

_- - _

Cloud was resting quietly and she was glad that she'd sent Zack out to shower and get changed. Getting him to go had taken a while, but he trusted her to look after their wounded friend.

As Tifa settled into the room once Zack was gone, she began to realize how funny it was that she didn't feel so jealous anymore…Then again, it was impossible not to find Zack charming. When she'd arrived, Zack had been sitting next to the bed spouting knock-knock jokes as if Cloud were awake and responding, and it broke her heart to watch him in such a state.

But tonight was different. There had been no attacks since Cloud's disappearance, but everyone remained on the lookout for Sephiroth. Outside, the brilliant moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the city's deserted streets; a curfew was still in effect, and would remain so until Sephiroth was found and dealt with.

It was almost too quiet in the room for Tifa, and the darkness made her feel even drowsier. She struggled, however, to keep her eyes open and gently tucked the blanket up to her chin.

Whenever he _did_ wake, Cloud refused to talk about what had happened between him and Sephiroth. He'd been claiming that he didn't remember, and while Zack seemed unsure how that would be possible, Tifa believed him.

A small whimper from Cloud startled her fully awake and she sat straight up in the chair only to find that he was still asleep. His body shuddered and went rigid; his face became a mask of terrible pain. She had a sinking feeling that whatever memory he'd lost, it was all coming back to him now…

_- - _

_Cloud panted heavily as the former general broke the kiss, he also stepped back looking pleased and curious. Startled and confused, Cloud wiped his mouth with the back of his glove. _

_He scowled, but Sephiroth's mocking grin only widened. "I like you better like this, Cloud; you're far more amusing when you fight back..." _

_Still pinned against the wall, the blond reached up to take hold of the blade. With growing anger to fuel his adrenaline, Cloud found a grip on the steel. Blood gushed freely from the wounds around the blade, but the weapon was immovable; wedged solidly into the wall of rock._

_The effort left him dizzy with pain, and fighting for breath. Sephiroth glared at him as if he were disappointed. He grabbed the hilt of Masamune, in one swift move, he easily wrenched his sword free, and Cloud dropped to his knees under the weight of his own body. _

_"Get up," the silver haired man growled. Cloud barely heard the demand; his tortured body was already fighting just to stay conscious as relief flooded through him. _

_Cloud knew he couldn't stay down though; Sephiroth hadn't tired of his little game yet. He scowled as he looked up at the former general. Sephiroth moved around him slowly, his expression grew colder and more dangerous._

_"Get up!" he repeated. _

_Cloud wasn't afraid––no, was much too angry for that. It was bad enough that he'd lost the fight, but even worse, now he understood that he couldn't even trust this man to finish him off. Left with no other choice, the need to fight back had returned, stronger than ever. In one last attempt, the blond climbed unsteadily to his feet, but couldn't keep his balance. _

_Sephiroth watched curiously for a moment and finally grabbed a handful of shirt collar. Cloud's reaction was instant and purely instinctive; with a growl, he planted a foot in the former general's ribs and kicked him away. Once dropped, Cloud scrambled back and tried again to stand up on his own._

_Sephiroth laughed. "Much better, unfortunately, I cannot stick around, you see…" _

_He shot him another cold glare, busy with trying to steady himself using a rock for stability when Sephiroth lunged forward at a frightening speed. The blow was quick and nearly painless, only for a split second did Cloud experience any sort of white hot rush of pain as the silver haired man struck him fiercely in the back of his head with the hilt of Masamune…_

_--_

He was sitting upright, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath when he finally awoke. Cloud searched frantically for Sephiroth before finally realizing it was another nightmare and he was still at the hospital.

He looked around his clean, sterile surroundings and shuddered; the dark, undecorated room seemed so cold and unfriendly without Zack- _where is he?_

"Cloud?"

He jumped at the sound of Tifa's voice, and turned to scowl at her. She was sitting in a chair on the other side of the bed. Inside he was afraid she was still angry with him, but her expression was soft and concerned. "How are you feeling?"

His body was still shaking because he could still feel the sword through his chest- but he threw off the covers and shook his head vigorously. _No, I have to get out of here. "_Where is Zack?"

Tifa hesitated in her reply. "I just sent him home to get cleaned up; the poor guy had been here all day and night."

"Oh…"

Tifa stood up and walked to him. "Are you alright?"

No answer.

"The doctor told me you went through a lot." Pause. "…Do you want to talk about it?"

He scowled. _Talk? About what? How much it hurts to get stabbed, or knowing that arrogant bastard could have done much worse than just kiss me? _He shivered because it was the latter that unsettled him more. "It doesn't matter now."

"How can you say that?"

"He's still out there, Tifa. Sephiroth left me alive on purpose; he knew _exactly_ what he was doing, which is why I can't stay here––I have to find him."

She wasn't really surprised but she still found herself at a loss for words; Tifa watched as Cloud removed the IV from his arm and climbed out of bed.

"Cloud, you can't just keep doing this––"

From behind, the door swung open and the doctor walked in.

"What's going on?" Rose asked. "You should be in bed."

"I'm fine," Cloud snapped and grabbed his clothing from under the bed. He was expecting to find them torn and bloody but they weren't… He shrugged off his surprise and started to get dressed.

"…Are you sure? You've been in my hands a lot lately. You should take an extra day to regain your strength."

Cloud sighed and paused for a moment to think about his next reply. "Thanks, but I'll be okay."

Rose pursed her lips and Tifa wore the same expression of displeasure, but he ignored them stubbornly as he finished dressing and quickly left.

- -

Finishing up in the shower, Zack grabbed the towel hanging from the rack and wrapped it around his waist. He grabbed another towel to run through his sopping wet hair and then stepped out of the bathroom only to be startled by the presence of another person in the living room. The unexpected visitor was sitting on the couch, waiting for him to appear.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Zack rushed to the blond who stood up and immediately embraced him. "When did you get here?"

"I'm sorry," Cloud finally whispered.

"Sorry? For what?"

"Leaving you there like that. I just couldn't risk it––I'm sorry…"

Zack, at a loss for words, wrapped his arms around Cloud even tighter. They stayed that way for a while until Zack briefly pulled away and cupped his hand beneath Cloud's chin to force the blond to look at him. He stared into Cloud's eyes with a smile and then kissed him softly. Cloud kissed him back, but Zack shook his head as his concern grew. "You're still really pale, aren't you hungry?"

Cloud turned his gaze away and shook his head mutely.

Still holding onto him, Zack chuckled. "You hardly ate anything all day, Cloud, come on, I'll make us some omelets."

Another shake of his head and Cloud suddenly pulled out of the embrace, still avoiding Zack's gaze.

"Hey, talk to me," Zack said worriedly. "What happened between you two out there?"

This time, Cloud scowled at him defiantly. "Nothing happened between me and Tifa."

"I'm talking about Sephiroth and you know it. What did he do to you?"

Cloud looked away again, already headed for the door as he began to regret ever coming here in the first place, but it was probably too late; he was sure Zack had seen the pain that flashed across his eyes. _The one thing I __**can't**__ talk about…_

"Stop, damn it." Zack growled, and grasped Cloud's hand gently.

Cloud swallowed hard, but he didn't pull away. Instead he found himself hesitating, and for quite some time, but finally turned around to glare at the man. "Then shut up and kiss me."

Zack wasn't sure of what he'd been anticipating from Cloud, but that particular command certainly wasn't it. He couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped him, but before Cloud could turn away, the SOLDIER grinned wolfishly and satisfied his command. It felt so right; Cloud parted his lips and moaned softly when Zack brushed his tongue across them. All the while as he grabbed at the dark-haired man as if desperate to get even closer. In a few brief moments, they'd moved into the next room, falling on top of one another onto the bed as their kisses intensified. By then, the blond had already removed his boots and shirt, revealing the gauze wrapped around his chest that kept his injury covered; an unnerving reminder that he had indeed been very wounded.

A bit of hesitation pulled at Zack's heart forcing him to break the passionate kiss, though Cloud simply continued down his jaw line and neck. "Hey…are you sure about this? What if I…hurt you?"

"I don't care," Cloud replied; his breath heavy.

Each and every sound he uttered, every expression that tugged at his face made it that much more difficult for Zack to think about his uncertainties. This was the day he'd been waiting for and there was hardly any legitimate reason to decline now seeing as how willing––no,_demanding_ Cloud was; particularly with the way he tugged at the towel that hung loosely around his waist.

It hurt Zack to see Cloud reduced to such a state, but he knew he would have no luck trying to convince the blond to actually talk about his unusual behavior. He felt those hands drift lower, and Zack began to notice that his mind no longer focused on the concerns that racked his brain. The fact that Cloud was alive and breathing was enough to persuade Zack to listen to his body instead…for now.

He wasn't going to injure Cloud any further if he could help it, and that meant slowing down the pace. Once he'd decided of how to deal with Cloud's wanton behavior, Zack found it remarkably easy to take back control of the situation. In one swift move, taking the blond by surprise, Zack grabbed Cloud's wrists and pinned them onto the pillow above his head. Those big blue eyes stared up at him with a bit of shock, but mostly excitement as he waited with anticipation for what was to come next.

Although it was clear that Cloud was uneasy with the fact that he didn't possess his full strength, Zack wasn't about to rush him. Leaning forward, Zack brushed the tip of his nose against Cloud's lips, face and neck, slowly enticing the blond into kissing him again. He had always loved his passionate nature––every kiss, Cloud somehow made sweeter than the last, full of sensual promise but somehow remained desperately innocent. The light and sweet intimate gesture became so passionate so quickly that Zack nearly forgot about why he wanted to slow things down in the first place. As soon as he had loosened his grip on Cloud's wrists, one hand immediately brushed its way down Zack's body to find his member.

As if he knew Zack would stop him, Cloud let go just as quickly as he'd found it and started kissing a trail down his neck instead. But Zack quickly turned the tables on him again and nuzzled against the blond's neck before leaving a mark that wouldn't go unnoticed. Under him, Cloud writhed and even let a whimper escape from his throat as he struggled to free his other captive wrist.

"Please…"

Gently bucking his hips upward, Cloud attempted to prove his point with the protruding bulge in his boxers. Zack couldn't help but chuckle again, soothing the bruise that he'd left with his tongue. "Relax," he spoke softly. But he was only met with more struggle as the blond tried to twist his body in an attempt to roll over onto his side. It was then when Zack recalled Cloud had managed to free one of his hands earlier, and obviously trying to capture it again would only irritate him more. Just the way Cloud squirmed under his body amused Zack, even though he found it highly arousing that Cloud was so ready for him.

On his stomach now, Cloud hissed in pain through clenched teeth but Zack ignored the cry as did he and began to kiss the general's neck before positioning himself again. But in the process of doing so, Cloud had grown impatient and spread his legs in hopes of enticing the man even more._God, he looks so sexy like that, _Zack thought, taking in the tension in Cloud's body and the way he stared at him hungrily over his shoulder under those wild blond spikes.

Seeing as how distracted the dark-haired man was at his display, Cloud took advantage of the situation by gently grasping his now awakened member and guided it to his entrance. It would be a tight fit despite the generous coating of pre-cum and saliva, though the time to turn back had long since passed. Now, Cloud arched his back even further, closing his eyes as Zack pushed forward against him. On instinct, the blond drove backwards, irritated by how slow Zack was taking things; he wanted it now and he wanted it fast and would do whatever he could to communicate that.

Cloud hissed in pain through clenched teeth but they both ignored the cry and Zack took to kiss the general's neck before positioning himself again. It was apparent that Cloud meant business with just how insistent he was acting, putting himself in enough pain to cry out over the pleasure, but it was something the SOLDIER knew he had to disregard. Zack took a firm hold of Cloud's hips and forcefully drove into the blond, slowly at first, then building to a quicker pace; this time, the cries muffled by the pillow were that of pure bliss.

Bodies' slick with sweat, the temperature continued to rise and Zack closed his eyes trying to resist the urge to take the blond even harder. It was enough that Cloud met his every thrust with nearly the same force, but he still felt guilty about enjoying this so much. Everywhere, on whatever surface he could find, Zack lavished kisses over the nape of Cloud's neck and shoulders, hoping it would be over soon.

Not a few more thrusts later and Cloud shuddered violently beneath him, but Zack didn't need to ask if he was alright. The blond's lips formed an O of silent ecstasy, and he shifted his hips weight onto his knees without lifting his upper body off the mattress. Cloud smirked up at him challengingly, leaving Zack to wonder when he'd become so insatiable––not that he minded.

He would have to move so that he was on his knees and no longer rested any of his weight on Cloud; this gave Zack total control over their lovemaking, but he'd avoided it earlier because he couldn't kiss the blond in such a position. Though Cloud didn't mind too much as he pressed his face against the pillow from time to time, moaning as Zack began to move inside him again.

Quickly finding his rhythm again in this new position, Zack suddenly doubled the pace of his thrusts as Cloud arched his back even more and sucked in a deep breath.

The dark-haired man could feel a familiar tightening in his groin and knew the blond sensed it too by the way his body began to tighten.

"Do it," Cloud panted.

Too tired to argue with that, Zack allowed himself to spill over. He managed a few more erratic thrusts and they both collapsed to the mattress, gasping wildly for air.

It took a while before Zack could move again, but when he could manage, he rolled over onto his back and pulled Cloud into his arms. The blond did not protest the gesture, but when he tried to kiss him, he realized that Cloud was avoiding his gaze­­––again. A tired sigh escaped his weary body, and Zack knew that he would have to continue their conversation from before, but Cloud shuttered fiercely in his embrace; this was much more serious than first thought.

He'd seen that face before, the same wounded look Cloud had given him earlier before trying to leave, and Zack knew instantly that Sephiroth had upset him, but before he could speak up, the general did first.

"It surprised me when that wing appeared, and he…" Cloud murmured, and took Zack's hand. The halting explanation left Zack a bit confused, but he didn't interrupt. "He…kissed me. I couldn't stop him… because…"

Once the initial shock of the news had passed, Zack realized where his hand was resting––over the bandages that still clung pitifully to Cloud's chest as he was about to prompt the blond to continue. He pulled Cloud into his arms, and held him tight. "It's okay, it's over now."

It was clear, since the moment he received Reeve's call that Cloud was lucky to be alive, but Zack was still shocked by the hatred Sephiroth seemed to harbor for the blond. Stabbing him for the second time was twisted enough, but to kiss him and then leave him alive after that? _Sephiroth, that's cold even for you…_

"Zack?"

Knocked out of his thoughts, the dark-haired man met Cloud's gaze and replied. "What is it?"

"I-I need you to train me."

"…Cloud, I couldn't teach you anything you don't already know. If we're going to beat him, we have to do it together."

A dull throbbing gradually made itself present in his chest, and only served as a reminder that he _couldn't_ do this alone; not just in a battle against strength, but knowing that Zack would do anything to prevent him from running off alone again. His mind was much too occupied at the moment to worry about the imminent future, just lying there in Zack's embrace was enough to distract him––for now, at least.

- -


	21. Chapter 21

**- - **

**Twenty One **

**- - **

(**Warning: **This chapter contains adult situations. Heavy yaoi.)

- -

The scenery flashed by in a blur of continuous motion, and sparks sizzled brightly along their blades, but neither paid much attention to the spectacle. They'd been fighting for over an hour, clashing steel against steel and yet neither was ready to give in. Cloud had still not yet fully recovered his strength, but he'd convinced Zack yesterday afternoon that waiting wasn't an option; to fight Sephiroth they had to prepare. This was their second sparring session that week, just as intense as the first one and while Zack still refused to call it training, Cloud had never felt like he'd learned so much so quickly.

He actually wished he'd thought to do this sooner seeing how fun it was to spar with Zack. As a First Class SOLDIER from the old guard; he was one of the few people strong and skilled enough to train with. He was quick too, but his real strength was his energy. Focused and determined, the SOLDIER still struck as quickly and as hard as he did when they'd started, it was clear he was enjoying the practice too.

Zack grinned wolfishly and spun out of the way when Cloud tried to gut him with one of his smaller swords. Zack continued his movement into a slash that forced Cloud to parry yet still pushed him back. The blow was so powerful that it knocked Cloud against the wall and Zack moved in on him, but the lithe blond didn't stay there for very long – he rolled to his side, pushing off the wall in order to dodge the oncoming man. He came up standing behind the SOLDIER a moment later and brought up his sword, resting it lightly on Zack's shoulder.

Cloud wasn't surprised though, when Zack shrugged off the blade and spun as he ducked. He brought up his sword, slashing again to knock Cloud away from him.

"That was good," the dark haired man huffed. "I've always known you were quick and yes, we're friends, but I felt you relax your grip on your sword. In a real fight you should know you can't do that- especially against Sephiroth. If you find an advantage like that on him you'll have to press it. For this to work we'll have to take every move seriously."

Cloud nodded and readied his sword again. The SOLDIER stepped up to the general, placing his heel behind Cloud's and then shoved him hard. The blond fell backwards at the sudden move, but before he could defend or roll out of the way, he found himself pinned on his back against the floor.

"Alright," Cloud laughed. He couldn't deny that he liked having Zack on top of him, but the artificial surroundings of the ocean and the whole city of Junon far below them made it impossible to overlook the fact that they were still in Shin Ra's VR training room. "That's enough."

"Not yet," said Zack, and leaned down to give him a deep kiss. They finally broke apart and Zack rolled off to the side, stretching out onto his back.

"They could've been watching us, you know," Cloud noted.

"I doubt it. No one from the research department has been in the control room since they let me out of quarantine and security never pays attention to who is in here unless something happens. They're probably still watching their shows." Zack sighed heavily, then he grinned again. "You've gotten much better; stronger too, can't call you a kid anymore. I'm really proud of you."

Cloud blushed at the comment and looked away.

"Seriously, anyone who can hold their own against Sephiroth deserves some recognition."

The atmosphere grew tense at the statement, as Cloud fell silent and somber just thinking about the situation he'd fallen into.

"You were right," he finally said, without looking up. "I got lucky…Sephiroth was toying with me from the start and yet he let me live." There was a brief pause. "I'm starting to realize why it was such a bad idea."

Zack rolled over onto his side and propped his head up with his arm; a frown tugged at his face. "I just don't understand him…"

"Eh?"

"Why he would…do _that_ to you. Does he know something?"

"Well, when I found him he was reading these files—lots of them. I didn't exactly see the labels, but I figured they must've been in regards to what he missed out on in the past five years considering the things he brought up. He even––" Cloud stopped in his tracks when he realized what he was saying, yet it only heightened Zack's curiosity even more.

"––Even what?"

Cloud hesitated for a moment, trying to think of the right words to respond with. "He seemed to know about_us_. That or it was just another one of his stupid games."

Zack sat upright; a dubious twinkle gleamed in his eyes. "What did he say to you?"

"It's not important…"

"Yes it is, Cloud. You need to tell me what happened."

The general took in a deep breath. _Here goes nothing…_ "Well, he said something about you and that other SOLDIER––Angeal, I think it was."

"He mentioned Angeal?"

"He said that…_you_ were the one who killed him."

"In that context?" Zack bristled, angry that Sephiroth would use such a dirty tactic. "He was _definitely_ just trying to mess with your head."

"Is it true…?"

Their gazes met a moment later.

"Well, that's a difficult question to answer…"

"Is it?"

Zack sighed. "Technically, yes, but it's complicated. Angeal's pride was _everything_ to him and when he thought he lost it, he couldn't go on. He attacked me first; a couple of times even. I didn't want to kill him, but he was relentless and wouldn't stop until it was over." Zack then brought the tips of his fingers up to touch the scar on his cheek and smiled weakly. "It's how I got this…"

Cloud could only look back at Zack apologetically. "I'm sorry…"

Avoiding eye contact now, Zack stared at the floor. "Nah, its fine. You had to hear about it sooner or later, and I'd rather tell you myself—Sephiroth wasn't even there."

The training room fell silent for a brief moment until Zack stood upright and took out his PHS. As he pressed a few buttons; the holographic projectors stopped working at his command, and Zack turned toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Cloud asked, standing as well.

"To take a shower," the dark-haired man replied. "Are you coming or not?" Immediately, Cloud recognized that familiar mischievous smirk tugging at the corner of Zack's lips. He blushed but grinned back and followed Zack into the locker room…

When they arrived in the locker room, Cloud shuffled things around in his bag a bit as they got dressed in clean clothes only to find his mind wandering. This unexpected reprieve was wonderful—especially being able to spend it with Zack. It was hard to believe only a few days had passed… Already he felt more rested and calm than he'd felt in months, even with the knowledge of Sephiroth's return. Right then he felt…happy, was the word. And it was nice to revel in at the time, but it was a feeling he'd known so little of for so long that he found himself a bit intimidated by it. He knew just how fragile happiness was, and how suddenly all of it could be taken from him. "I'm going to my office for a while…"

"Uh oh," Zack grinned, following him into the hall. "You're heading back to work already? You know, the planet will survive just fine whether or not you are sitting at your desk deciding if the First Class uniforms should be changed or not."

"So you saw that memo…"

"There are only about 10 of them scattered all over your office. Believe me; things will be much better if Zack does not have to report in every day wearing some hideous combination of red and khaki…"

Cloud tried not to laugh; he really couldn't imagine Zack in anything but sleek, dark colors either. "I know what you mean. I wasn't consulted about the colors the board of trustees selected either."

Zack snorted but didn't comment.

The general let himself into his office and shut the door while Zack perched on the corner of his desk, but the blond didn't bother sitting down right away. Something else plagued his mind. "The board has been hounding Hughes about making a decision, and consolidating the armed forces by adopting the new uniforms of the WRO is actually a good idea—the people need to see that ShinRa can change, but…"

Zack stood up and went over to him. "I know, they hurt us a lot, but they also brought us back together…"

"That's what I mean. Sometimes I wonder if anything has changed at all."

"Then we'll keep trying…_together_," Zack's voice went soft but retained a certainty that Cloud found himself trusting those words even as their lips met in a soft kiss.

Somehow, it seemed that no matter how close they were he could never be close enough to this man. Even though they had just taken a very long, very intimate shower together, Cloud still found his body responding to those deepening sensual kisses.

Zack pushed him back against the desk and chuckled when Cloud unzipped his shirt, immediately distracting him with another kiss along his neck. The blond moaned a bit louder than he wanted to and tipped his head back, granting him better access when Zack positioned his body between Cloud's legs.

The SOLDIER gave a soft chuckle as he reached down in search of the growing bulge constricted by his pants, and gave it a gentle squeeze. He kissed Cloud's lips again and the blond squirmed as he returned it desperately, hoping that Zack would stop with the teasing.

"Relax," Zack purred. He unzipped Cloud's shirt next and nudged him further onto his back. He pressed his hips to Cloud's while he wrapped his lips around one of his nipples and stroked the other in a slow circular motion; the blond writhed against him even more this time.

Cloud let out a whimper when Zack pressed tried to tug his pants down and proceeded to give him another passionate kiss to distract him. While they kissed, Zack did help him adjust his clothes, but not remove them. Before he could get too frustrated though, Zack continued to stroke slowly.

The spiky dark haired man breathed heavily as Cloud shuddered against him, tugging at his shoulders. At that point, Cloud was fully hard and Zack knew it by the way it pressed against his abdomen,

The SOLDIER slid into the general's chair and leaned down, lazily licking a drop of precum from the tip of Cloud's arousal. He kept teasing him, slowly kissing and nibbling at the underside of the shaft. Zack never did anything half way—that included teasing, so he knew exactly what was in store.

At the base, Zack squeezed gently and their gazes met as he finally took the head into his mouth. He looked incredibly sexy doing that, and as always Zack seemed perfectly at ease. Though Cloud still had little idea on how to be as comfortable as he was, though the feeling of Zack's tongue made it too hard to think about anything else except the way it made his body shiver.

He couldn't believe they were doing this in his office of all places, but Cloud wasn't about ready to stop him by any means, and Zack could tell it from the look on his face. He took his time with it, making Cloud want him more with every kiss and every stroke, but as the general reached the point of no return, Zack didn't give him a chance to tell him to stop. Instead, he squeezed him firmly and started to suck harder.

With a loud gasp, Cloud came much sooner than he would've liked and stretched out against the desk, even pushing some papers off the side as the powerful spasm coursed through his body. He barely had any time to enjoy his second release when a set of knocks sounded at the door. But Cloud wasn't about ready to put them in an even more awkward situation. Instead of calling out right away, he remained silent; rushing to fix his disheveled clothing as fast as possible and when both men seemed presentable enough, the general answered the door.

"Reeve…"

Making his way in as Cloud stepped aside, Reeve stopped near the couch to explain his unexpected arrival. "I apologize for showing up unannounced." He paused briefly, straying from the reason as to why he'd come. "I was told you've been using the training facilities." Cloud shut the door before replying and joined the president while Zack remained leaning against the desk with his arms crossed. "Are you sure you're ready for that kind of activity?"

He received no answer, knowing full well what the blond would've replied with and admitted defeat before he could make a fool of himself. "I see…well far be it from me to dictate how you spend your days. I just wanted to make sure you're not jeopardizing your health." A silence hung heavy in the atmosphere. Reeve knew by the looks of things that it was time to get down to business. "Look, the real reason I came here to ask you what you plan to do about Sephiroth."

As if seeking for approval, Cloud glanced at Zack who had remained quiet this entire time, but those bright blue Mako eyes only widened as if waiting for an explanation.

"Zack and I wish to fight Sephiroth alone."

"Alone?" Reeve repeated, shocked by the news. "Are you sure that's a good idea? You and I both know how well the first fight went, and that was with _seven people_. We barely made it with our lives, Cloud. Don't you think just the two of you is asking for a death sentence?"

"I've been thinking about this for some time now, and there's no way I'm going to involve any unnecessary lives. What I have decided is this: I want a group of SOLDIERs standing by if the need for reinforcements arises, and only those who must know will be informed of the situation."

"What about Tifa, Cid, Vincent and the rest of them? Won't they want to know?"

"…Well, I was hoping you'd keep it a secret…unless something should happen…"

_A secret?_ Reeve thought, and sighed heavily just thinking of how that task would go. "That's a mighty tall order you're asking for, Cloud." He looked to the blond again, perhaps hoping that it was all just a dream. "And you're sure this is what you want?" Cloud nodded in reply. Maybe it wasn't a dream at all? Maybe this was unfolding exactly how he wished it wouldn't? The one thing he did know was that when he pinched himself, it felt all too real.

"Then I suppose I have no choice…"

- -

Tifa carried on with the daily routine of shutting down the bar, although at an earlier time now that a curfew had been set in place for the entire population of Edge. The sun had barely even made it under the horizon, and practically the entire city was nothing but a ghost town. There had been little objection, however, over the fact that it was much too dangerous to be roaming about, even in the daylight. So when the door to the bar swung open, Tifa didn't think twice about looking up to see who it was––another patron, perhaps, but she was much too focused on sweeping up the broken glass that surrounded her feet.

"Sorry, we're closed for the night," she hummed. Her visitor didn't stop at her apology—an all too suspicious behavior—forcing Tifa to finally confront them. She gasped and almost dropped the dust pan filled with the tiny shards of glass when she barely missed colliding into Reeve.

"Oh my Gosh, I thought––"

"I know." He held a bag in his hand, which he raised slightly. "But I wanted to drop off some things that Cloud left at the hospital."

Tifa let herself smile as her nerves began to calm and accepted the bag, placing it behind the counter. "Well that was very nice of you, but Cloud doesn't live here anymore."

Reeve had a bit of an idea that something was not right between the two, and vaguely remembered hearing what Tifa had just confirmed, yet had never actually known the truth to their story. Still, it was quite the surprise. "Oh. Oh, I see…well then I'm sorry. I didn't mean to––"

"No, it's not your fault," she sighed, leaning against the counter. "I mean I thought everyone would have known about it by now, but I guess it's not anything to worry about."

"…When did it happen?"

"A little over a week now."

"Ah…"

Silence befell them; that subject was obviously still a painfully fresh one, and although Reeve had come here for a reason, it was definitely not to make Tifa feel any worse. She spoke up again before he could, quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, it's not important. A busy man like yourself doesn't come all the way to a low down bar like this to visit someone like me for no reason. And where are my manners? Would you like a drink?"

Reeve just smiled. "Yes, I would."


End file.
